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HASC Concerned About Possible Strategic SATCOM Gap

Frank Wolfe

Friday, September 3rd, 2021

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HASC Concerned About Possible Strategic SATCOM Gap

Pictured is a rendering of an Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite (U.S. Space Force Image)

As the U.S. Space Force plans to start moving away from the extended data rate (XDR) Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) strategic communications satellites in the next decade to field a more resilient Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS) constellation, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) is concerned that the transition may leave gaps in coverage. Initial ESS satellites may deploy in fiscal 2030 to achieve an initial operational capability in fiscal 2032. Currently, five AEHF satellites, built by Lockheed Martin [LMT]…

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