The draft FY25 NDAA language would force DoD to create a new pilot project designed to kickstart its nascent plans to create a so-called hybrid space architecture linking national security, commercial, civil and allied satellites into a massive mesh network.
Maj. Gen. Michael Greiner said that the Space Force's initial plans are to develop four new Protected Tactical SATCOM-Global satellites, although those plans could change as the program is a new start for FY25.
The network transport architecture for NGC2 could be a hybrid approach that combines high assurance communications with 5G, WiFi, and multi-orbit satellites.
The plan is designed not just to improve Luxembourg's military space capabilities, but also specifically to improve defense cooperation with the US by "jointly exploiting" the new SES satellites.
The Space Force's goal is to create a resilient SATCOM architecture by using multiple types of satellites with better encryption and dispersed over various orbits to flummox adversary jamming attempts — with US national security planners fully expecting sophisticated electronic warfare attacks against satellites in future conflicts.
"The threat is racing to out pace us," Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told reporters in a budget pre-briefing on March 10.
A year-long CR would force Space Force to chop two planned launches under the National Security Space Launch program — reducing the number of launches from a planned five in 2022 to three, Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond told lawmakers.
Reducing cognitive overload on warfighters while improving “time to trust” for autonomous systems is a matter of design.
"At the end of the day, anyone who's using satellite communications doesn't really care where that information comes from," Lt. Gen. William Liquori says.
The contracts support Space Force's Space Surveillance Network (SSN) and the new Protected Tactical SATCOM effort.