US Space Force increases efforts to plug training capabilities gaps
The service has been seeking simulation and emulation solutions capable of reproducing multiple in-orbit threats.
Comtech Telecommunication's subsidiary Comtech Mobile Datacom has received a contract to continue to provide sustainment support for the US Army's Project Manager Mission Command - Blue Force Tracking (BFT-1) programme, the company announced on 20 April.
The BFT-1 is a battle command real-time situational awareness and control system.
Under the contract, Comtech will perform engineering services, satellite network operations and programme management.
The contract includes an £8 million 12 month base period and four 12 month options. The army has placed an initial funded order of $3.5 million and the company expects to receive an additional order shortly to fully fund the base year.
Fred Kornberg, president and CEO of Comtech Telecommunications, said: 'We are pleased that Comtech has again been selected to work together with the US Army to sustain this critical worldwide military communications system. The award of this contract further demonstrates the ongoing importance of the US Army's BFT-1 satellite tracking communication system.'
The service has been seeking simulation and emulation solutions capable of reproducing multiple in-orbit threats.
The service has been conducting several acquisition and upgrading efforts involving artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve communication, data analysis and ISR systems.
The Syracuse 4B communications satellite, developed by Airbus and Thales Alenia Space, was launched last year, bolstering secure military satellite communications for the French Armed Forces. Thales has now been selected to provide terminals for vehicles.
The growing importance of space in modern warfare, advancements in satellite technology, and increasing threats from rivals like China and Russia were among the topics of a Eurosatory 2024 panel on military space operations.
AN/ARC-232A is a Starfire radio that provides VHF/UHF communications to airborne platforms and the transceiver is software-programmable, allowing for multiple waveform support as well as optional national electronic counter counter-measure (ECCM) capability.
During the 18-month period of the contract, Lockheed Martin will apply Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) techniques to create surrogate models of aircraft, sensors, electronic warfare and weapons within dynamic and operationally representative environments.