The Air Force requested $10.1 billion for fiscal year 2014 space operations, according to President Barack Obama’s budget request, which was released Wednesday.
The Air Force plans to continue Global Positioning System (GPS) modernization in FY ’14 with the delivery of the first GPS III satellite (GPS III-1). GPS III-1 will provide improved anti-jam capabilities and accuracy and a new civil signal (L1C). The FY ’14 budget also requests funds for two more GPS III satellites, GPS III-7 and GPS III-8, as well as block buys of Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellites AEHF-5 and AEHF-6. Nearly $38 million was specifically requested for GPS. AEHF is incrementally funded as previously approved by Congress, according to the Air Force.
The budget would also implement a new Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) acquisition strategy that would emphasize efficiencies through increased competition, including new entrants into the launch market. The Air Force proposed five EELV launches for FY ’14 as opposed to four in FY ’13. The service also proposed taking steps to sustain and extend the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP), a legacy space-based weather program that has supported the Defense Department and intelligence communities for over 50 years. The next DMSP satellite is set to launch in FY ’14 with the final satellite available for launch when required.
The Air Force also requested $73 million for continued development of the Family of Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) program, which will provide EHF voice and data military satellite communications (MILSATCOM) for nuclear and conventional forces as well as airborne and ground command posts with connectivity to Milstar, AEHF and Enhanced Polar . The Air Force will begin production of FAB-T in FY ’14 and the funding will also continue program office support and production activities.
The Air Force also requested almost $30 million for the Wideband Enterprise Terminal (AFWET) program with $26 million of that going toward modernization efforts. AFWETs form the MILSATCOM backbone for the Global Information Grid (GIG), operating over Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS), Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) and commercial and allied satellites.