The ESS satellites are designed to supplement and eventually replace Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Extremely High Frequency network of nuclear-hardened geostationary satellites.
The Space Systems Command announced on May 2 that each company had won a $30 million contract to develop prototypes of a ground system for the Evolved Strategic Satcom (ESS) programme.
The United States Space Force has chosen Lockheed Martin and Raytheon to compete in the development of competing ground systems for a next-generation space communications network that can withstand a nuclear attack.
Evolved Strategic Satcom is a classified satellite communication system designed to function in the event of a nuclear war. Boeing and Northrop Grumman are working on rival satellite designs. Over the next five years, the Pentagon intends to spend $6.5 billion on the ESS programme.
The ESS satellites are designed to supplement and eventually replace Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) network of nuclear-hardened geostationary satellites. The AEHF XDR (Extreme Data Rate) payload was developed by Northrop Grumman.
The ESS satellites and ground systems will be part of the nation’s nuclear communications architecture, which will allow the president to command and control strategic bombers, ballistic submarines, and intercontinental ballistic missiles via the military chain of command.
Stratagem, Integrity-Communications-Solutions, Infinity, and BAE Systems are part of the Lockheed Martin team that will develop one of the ground systems. Dell, Seed Innovations, Infinity, Kratos, Northrop Grumman, Rocket Communications, Parsons, Polaris Alpha, Quantum Research, Koverse, Caliola Engineering, Kythera, Northstrat Inc., Optimal, RKF Engineering, and Ascension Engineering are part of Raytheon’s team.
Each team will have 18 months to demonstrate their prototypes before the Space Systems Command chooses one to continue development.
The ESS system will provide the survivable and endurable satellite communications capability for the
In all operational environments, the Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) mission is performed.
It will provide space and control segments for worldwide arctic DoD strategic, secure, and jam-resistant communications for ground, sea, and air assets worldwide. ESS is the first DoD hybrid space programme to use multiple acquisition paths for each of its segments.
The ESS Space Segment is leveraging a Middle-Tier Acquisition down-select rapid prototyping contract for the ESS payload and spacecraft bus, which is being competed for by Boeing and Northrop Grumman until Fiscal Year 25.
In agile software sprints, the GRIFFON segment is leveraging a series of Software Acquisition Pathway contracts for subsets of mission capability. The ESS programme as a whole is designed to develop and deliver cutting-edge technology to be fielded by innovative industry teams, allowing development to stay ahead of changing strategic needs.