DigitalGlobe signs contract with Australia
DigitalGlobe has signed a Direct Access Program (DAP) contract with the Australian Department of Defence (DoD), the company announced on 15 August.
The multi-year agreement will give the Australian government access to DigitalGlobe’s commercial satellite imaging constellation in support of defence and intelligence missions.
As a DAP partner the Australian DoD will be able to directly task and download imagery in real-time to its ground station from all five DigitalGlobe satellites.
The multi-satellite ground system will be supplied by DigitalGlobe partner MDA, to support tasking, reception and precision processing of imagery from the satellite constellation. Ground antenna systems that will enable direct tasking and downlink capabilities will be supplied by ViaSat.
In June 2017, the DoD announced some $500 million in funding to improve Australia’s space-based ISR capabilities via the accessing of commercial satellite services. At that time the DoD said that the capability would support Australia’s defence priorities including defence operations, border protection and humanitarian missions.
The contract is worth $83 million to DigitalGlobe over four years, beginning in January 2018.
More from Digital Battlespace
-
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.
-
US Space Force bets big on the use of AI to improve its capabilities
The service has been conducting several acquisition and upgrading efforts involving artificial intelligence and machine learning to improve communication, data analysis and ISR systems.
-
Thales selected for Syracuse satellite communications terminals for French vehicles
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 New Battlefield: Space Defence, Emerging Threats, and Strategic Opportunities (Studio)
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.
-
BAE Systems to provide radios for South Korean aircraft
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.
-
Lockheed Martin to work with DARPA on AI effort
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.