Boeing beats Lockheed Martin in the race for the Muos satellites, the main narrowband communications constellation of the armed forces.
On June 24, the US Space Force announced it had selected the aerospace giant to develop the next phase of the Mobile User Objective System Service Life Extension (Muos Sle) program, intended to strengthen secure military communications globally. The contract, with a potential value of $2 billion, includes the construction of two new narrowband communication satellites, with the first unit scheduled for delivery in 2031.
Thus, the Space Force chose Boeing, rather than Lockheed Martin, the original contractor, to build two more narrowband communication satellites, as announced by the Space Systems Command (Ssc), highlights Breaking Defense. Lockheed Martin built the first five Muos satellites, while Boeing provided the communication payloads.
According to statements, the new satellites will extend the operational life of the Muos constellation until 2035.
All the details.
US SPACE FORCE CHOOSES BOEING FOR SECURE MILITARY COMMUNICATIONS
The awarding of the Muos Sle program represents a new assignment for Boeing in the field of US military space communications. The program’s goal is to extend and enhance a capability considered strategic for the armed forces, ensuring continuity of communications even in the most complex operational scenarios, where maintaining stable links is challenging.
The $2 billion contract covers “the development, delivery, system integration, and on-orbit test support” of the two new satellites, as part of the two-year procurement competition for extending the operational life of the Muos system.
WHAT IS THE MUOS SYSTEM
The Muos system provides secure ultra-high frequency satellite communications to the US armed forces and allied countries, particularly naval forces. Responsibility for the program was transferred from the US Navy to the Air Force in 2019 and subsequently to the Space Force.
The new satellites, scheduled for launch “no earlier than” 2031 and 2032, will bring the Muos constellation to a total of seven satellites.
As explained by Spacenews, Muos connects troops, ships, aircraft, and special forces through a network of satellites in geostationary orbit. Often described as a mobile phone network in space, the system allows users equipped with relatively small terminals to communicate well beyond the range of terrestrial networks. User radios connect to one of five Muos satellites positioned in geostationary orbit. Signals are routed through ground stations and retransmitted to other users worldwide.
BOEING’S SATISFACTION
“We are grateful for the trust the US Space Force has placed in our team for a capability of vital importance to military users worldwide,” said Sam Greaves, Vice President of Boeing Space Mission Systems. “For those who rely on this connectivity, the need is clear: secure and functioning communications even in difficult operational conditions. Our team knows this mission well and is ready to help the customer enhance and improve a system they rely on every day.”
Ryan Reid, Senior Director of Boeing’s space communications programs, also added: “When military users operate in the most prohibitive conditions, this narrowband capability is their lifeline. Leveraging our active production line for 702MP satellites, we offer the US Space Force an immediate operational boost.”
THE ROLE OF UHF TECHNOLOGY
Spacenews also recalls that the US Navy launched the Muos program in the early 2000s to replace the UHF Follow-On constellation, a network dating back to the Cold War era that was nearing the limits of its operational capabilities. The first Muos satellite was launched in 2012, followed by three operational satellites and one spare satellite in orbit.
Operating in the ultra-high frequency (UHF) spectrum portion, Muos enables communications to be maintained even in conditions that compromise other types of links, such as mountainous terrain, densely built urban areas, or particularly adverse weather conditions.
