Directly linking SDA data transport and NRO imaging satellites is one option under discussion to speed transfer of target tracking data to warfighters, SDA Director Derek Tournear says.
"Information gathered up to and through Tracking Layer Tranche 0 will help inform decisions about future tranches, including how many and which types of sensors should be flown to provide the warfighter a complete advanced missile threat solution," SDA spokeswoman Jennifer Elzea says.
Breaking Defense Europe will launch May 4 with Tim Martin and Elisabeth Gosselin-Malo as co-editors.
Risk reduction missions this year "are separate flights to prove technologies" and not part of the planned 20-satellite Blackjack constellation, explains program manager Rusty Thomas.
SDA's "data transport" satellites will be a key enabler of JADC2, says director Derek Tournear.
"Our fully networked C3 [Command, Control, & Communications] will look completely different" from current satellites and terminals, said OSD's Doug Schroeder.
It was hard enough keeping the data flowing to the far mountains of Afghanistan, but at least the Taliban didn’t have the technology to attack the network. Russia and China, however, are investing heavily in capabilities to eavesdrop on or jam the radio transmissions and to blind or outright shoot down the satellites.
As threats rapidly evolve, digital engineering, manufacturing capacity and robust supply chains are critical to meeting challenges.