C3I: US satcom system for the ADF

1 November 2007

By Tom Muir

Australia is to participate in the US Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) program, through purchase of the sixth and last satellite in the WGS constellation, rather than acquire two Defence-owned satellites to meet the ADF's growing military communications needs.

The ADF's SATCOM environment has evolved through a range of minor and major projects and now incorporates both commercial and allied military satellite constellations and fixed, deployable and mobile terrestrial access terminals.

Joint Project (JP) 2008 Military Satellite Capability is a multi-phased project to develop a comprehensive Defence satellite communications capability for long distance strategic and tactical communications in support of ADF assets throughout Australia's regions of interest.

Initial phases of the project delivered an interim SATCOM capability, including an ADF-owned communications payload on the Singtel/OptusC1 satellite under Phase 3D, and provided high priority maritime and land assets with terrestrial equipment to utilise the payload.

The space segment comprises four X-band and four Ka-band transponders and a UHF payload on C1 to support deployed ADF forces operating in view of the satellite located at 156º East (approx 90º East to 140º West at the equator).

The ground segment comprises a Satellite Ground Station (SGS-E) at HMAS Harman, which includes one X-band and one Ka-band earth terminal, and a payload control centre.

That phase did not deliver any UHF ground segment elements as Navy has been operating a UHF SGS at HARMAN for many years on various UHF satellites. JP2008 Phase 3E installed a second UHF SGS at HMAS Stirling in WA.

Phase 3F will not be upgrading any UHF terrestrial infrastructure but is expanding the existing ground segment with an additional ground station (SGS-W) near Geraldton, WA to enable fuller utilisation of C1's military payload. SGS-W will be equipped with two X-band Earth Terminals (ETs), a single Ka-band ET and an optional Ku-band ET.

Phase 3F will also upgrade elements within the SGS-E to meet the performance potential of the new SGS-W. Also upgraded will be the Ground Segment Operations Centre to support the integration of the SGS-W into the ADSCC Ground Segment.

This phase will also upgrade the existing terrestrial infrastructure of the ADF satellite communications network to meet ADF operational needs until the introduction of a mature SATCOM capability under JP2008 Phase 4.

Phase 4
The Singtel/Optus C1 satellite was launched in 2003, with a life expectancy of 15 years (and possibly less) and a limited footprint, but Defence's current and forthcoming wideband communications needs are fast outgrowing C1's capabilities.

Planning for Phase 4 has been underway for some time and has involved risk assessment and other studies, including an RPDE Quicklook assessment.

Plus, due to the long lead times involved and perhaps the need for satcom redundancy well before C1 is decommissioned, Defence has had to decide whether this culmination of the ADF's satellite communications project, the move to a 'mature' satellite communications capability, should entail the acquisition of a dedicated Defence-owned space segment, or whether sovereignty should be eschewed in favour of joining the US WGS program which providentially harmonises with Australian planning.

In any event the Australian Government has decided to join, through acquisition of one of its satellites, the US wideband system.

The Thales offer
ADM understands that the DMO had sought from Thales Australia pricing and availability of a satellite capability to meet the Phase 4 requirement.

Thales’s response was based on the Syracuse and Sicral satellite systems provided for France and Italy but leveraging off the recent YahSat satellite communications system for the UAE which includes two large satellites to be delivered in orbit, as well as the associated ground infrastructure.

The operational life of the Yahsat satellites is estimated at 15 years.

In addition to a reduction in price and risk from YahSat leverage, the program brought a new, advanced satcom modem to the market providing multiple electronically protected modes that prevent symmetric and asymmetric jamming of critical communications networks.

Thus the Thales solution for JP2008 Phase 4 meant the ADF would have a sovereign capability dedicated to strategic and operational needs and removed any reliance on second party networks.

An indigenous capability would give the ADF the ability to take a regional leadership role for local coalitions on operations and exercises and to share or provide satcom capacity to allies.

At a proposed price of around $1 billion, the ADF would receive two uniquely tailored, broadband, communications satellites, management until handover in orbit and full insurance until one year after launch.

Thales says its offer would meet ADF requirements including dramatically increased capacity in the UHF, X and Ka frequency bands.

The WGS program
The Wideband Global Satcom (WGS) program originally termed the Wideband Gapfiller System, is being introduced as a hedge between the ageing Defense Satellite Communications System and the advanced Transformational Satellite (TSAT) program that will provide internet-like capability that extends high-bandwidth satellite capabilities to deployed troops worldwide, and delivers an order of magnitude increase in available military bandwidth.

Using laser communications intersatellite links to create a high data-rate backbone in space, TSAT will be one of the key enablers for the American vision of Network Centric Warfare.

The descriptive 'gapfiller' title has now been changed to 'global' but both terms describe the same beast. The WGS program will comprise a constellation of 13-kilowatt spacecraft based upon Boeing's 702 commercial satellite in support of US warfighting information exchange requirements, enabling execution of tactical C4ISR, battle management and combat support information.

WGS will provide two-way X-band and Ka-band communications as well as Ka-band broadcast services to US Armed Forces and other agencies worldwide. The company boasts that one WGS satellite will provide more communications capacity than the entire Defense Satellite Communication System constellation currently on orbit.

WGS will augment and eventually replace the Defense Satellite Communication System and the important Global Broadcast Service function currently provided by UHF satellites.

It also will reduce US reliance on commercial SATCOM services. WGS can operate at both X-band and Ka-band frequencies, and provide many important operational features that are not available from any other SATCOM system.

Flexible coverage
Using reconfigurable antennas and a digital channelizer, WGS also offers added flexibility to tailor its coverage areas, and to connect X-band and Ka-band users anywhere within the satellite's field of view.

However, unlike other military satellite programs currently under development, the WGS provides wideband that has no protection against jamming.

An industry team led by Boeing commenced work on the program in early 2001, with the aim of developing a high-capacity satellite communications system with newer and far greater capabilities than provided by current systems.

A joint-service program funded by the Air Force and Army, WGS included options for up to six satellites and their associated spacecraft and payload control equipment. Operational and logistics support and training are also included in the program.

In 2002, the first three WGS spacecraft were ordered under a US$660 million fixed price contract which specified Boeing's liability to meet cost overruns due to delays, etc.

A fourth satellite was ordered in 2006 plus long lead items for a fifth. While the first satellite was originally scheduled for launch in 2004, the program has slipped by some three years and the first WGS satellite was finally launched last month. The next two will be launched mid-2008 and end-2008 respectively.

Under a Block II contract, a fourth and fifth satellite are being procured to meet the evolving SATCOM bandwidth requirements.

The Block II satellites will be similar to the three Block I satellites already in production and will add a radio frequency bypass capability designed to support airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms requiring ultra-high bandwidth and data rates demanded by unmanned aerial vehicles.

An optional sixth satellite had also been proposed as an in-orbit spare but will now be acquired by Australia to satisfy the mature capability requirements of JP 2008 Phase 4.

Australian elements and applications
Defence Minister Nelson recently confirmed that Australia will enter into a $927 million partnership with the US which will see this country funding one satellite plus ground infrastructure to extend the WGS constellation to six satellites with the US funding the remaining five.

He said access to the WGS constellation would build on the ADF's ability to conduct multiple and simultaneous military operations independently or as part of a coalition force. Secure and reliable satellite communications will be available to deployed forces, operational command and Australian headquarters.

WGS also will allow the ADF to realise the full potential of NCW within the next decade. The system will enable the next generation of military capabilities, such as Air Warfare Destroyers, Amphibious Ships, Multi-mission Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and Land platforms to achieve their full potency.

The Navy’s existing FFG-7 and Anzac-class frigates will be modified to access the WGS network, while its three new Air Warfare Destroyers and two new amphibious landing ships will have WGS connectivity built in.

The WGS constellation of six satellites will provide a world-class capability in terms of global coverage, operational flexibility and bandwidth. It will support multiple simultaneous high-tempo operations and provide a high level of redundancy.

The first WGS satellite will be operational by early 2008. The complete constellation of six satellites will be fully functional by 2013 and will comfortably handle the increase in ADF communications requirements over this time and out to at least 2024.

A matter of timing
Achieving full operational WGS capability by 2013 also will coincide with the predicted capability drawdown of the SingTel/Optus C1 satellite. The SingTel/Optus C1 satellite will be an important element of Defence's satellite capability until its end of life and will be maintained in parallel with WGS.

Nelson said he expected to finalise the arrangement through the signing of a government-to-government Memorandum of Understanding shortly after the 30 day US Congressional Notification Period.

Nelson added that Australia will also seek an Ultra High Frequency (UHF) satellite communications capability from about 2009, to be acquired under Phase 5 of JP 2008.

This will support operations by smaller ground units and aircraft. The ADF has “characterised” its needs for this system, but hasn’t decided yet how to acquire the capability itself.

Options include an ADF-owned communications payload hosted aboard somebody else’s satellite, as is currently the case with the ADF-owned payload aboard the Singtel/Optus C1/D.