SUNNYVALE, Calif., Nov. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Air
Force and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) have completed on-orbit
testing of the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF)
military communications satellite. Following successful spacecraft
testing, Satellite Control Authority (SCA) was turned over to the
14th Air Force at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., for
operations.
The AEHF system provides vastly improved global, survivable,
highly secure, protected communications for strategic command and
tactical warfighters operating on ground, sea and air platforms.
The system also serves international partners including
Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
A single AEHF satellite provides greater total capacity than the
entire legacy five-satellite Milstar constellation.
Individual user data rates will be increased five-fold, permitting
transmission of tactical military communications, such as real-time
video, battlefield maps and targeting data. In addition to its
tactical mission, AEHF also provides the critical survivable,
protected, and endurable communications links to national leaders
including presidential conferencing in all levels of conflict.
"Completion of on-orbit testing and handover of AEHF-2 is a
critical milestone for the Air Force and our nation," said
Dave Madden, Director of the
Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate at the U.S.
Air Force's Space and Missile Systems Center. "The AEHF satellites
on orbit and those planned for launch will play a pivotal role in
our national security for years to come."
AEHF-2 launched May 4, 2012 aboard a United Launch Alliance
Atlas V rocket. After successful spacecraft deployments and payload
activation, the satellite has now completed all on-orbit
testing. The on-orbit testing demonstrated both
interoperability with the existing Milstar constellation and
established communications networks between combinations of
EHF communications terminals with legacy Milstar data rates,
as well as at the new AEHF extended data rates (XDR).
"The U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman AEHF
team performed a thorough and efficient on orbit test campaign for
this critical satellite, and AEHF-2 is performing exceptionally
well," said Mark Calassa, Lockheed
Martin's vice president and AEHF program manager. "With the first
two AEHF satellites now on orbit, the Department of Defense is well
on its way to augmenting, improving and expanding its critical
military satellite communications architecture to meet increasing
demand from users worldwide."
Lockheed Martin is currently under contract to deliver four AEHF
satellites and the Mission Control Segment. The program has
begun advanced procurement of long-lead components for the fifth
and sixth AEHF satellites.
AEHF-1 and AEHF-2 have both launched and are on orbit. Lockheed
Martin has completed work on AEHF-3 and will prepare the satellite
for a September 2013 launch date.
The AEHF team includes the U.S. Air Force Military Satellite
Communications Systems Directorate at the Space and Missile Systems
Center, Los Angeles Air Force
Base, Calif. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the AEHF prime
contractor, space and ground segments provider as well as system
integrator, with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., as the payload
provider.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md.,
Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that
employs about 120,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged
in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and
sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
The corporation's net sales for 2011 were $46.5 billion.
Note to Editors:
AEHF video and high-resolution images
are available for download at www.lockheedmartin.com/aehf
Media Contact:
Michael
Friedman
303-971-7255
michael.1.friedman@lmco.com
SOURCE Lockheed Martin