TacSat will participate in upcoming cross-domain exercises. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)
Lockheed Martin’s TacSat, a self-funded effort to demonstrate space-based cross-linked communications and sensing capabilities, has completed development and will be launched in 2025.
TacSat is an ISR spacecraft with a mission to prove specialised sensing and communications capabilities on orbit.
The satellite will participate in exercises next year designed to highlight cross-domain kill-web connectivity, enabling the timely execution of tactical space missions. It will be launched on Firefly Aerospace Alpha rocket.
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TacSat will host a Lockheed Martin infrared sensor onboard to provide high quality imagery. The system interfaces with federated Battle Management Command & Control (BMC2) combat systems to provide joint forces with a comprehensive view of threats.
It will feature Lockheed Martin’s first 5G.MIL payload on orbit to provide cellular-like networking for military space assets, making satellite constellations more resilient. It should also enable multidomain connectivity.
Lockheed Martin noted: “Space-enhanced Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control (CJADC2) will enable the global connection of our nation and allies’ military assets.
“Once operational on orbit, TacSat will be available for customer exercises, including learning endeavours related to Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, Assess (F2T2EA) missions.”
Paul Koether, director of tactical space at Lockheed Martin, said: “This area of focus is especially important to the future of space as it becomes a more contested environment.”
Airbus was awarded the Composante Spatiale Optique (CSO) contract at the end of 2010. This included an option for a third satellite, which was activated after Germany joined the programme in 2015.
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Clavister CyberArmour, an integrated defence cybersecurity system, will be used on BAE Systems Hägglunds’ CV90 platform in deployments with a Scandinavian country, as well as in an eastern European nation.
The airborne three-domain, the two ground-based and the ¼ ATR OpenVPX-based cross-domain systems were engineered to provide real-time security across multi-domain operations.
DARPA’s Mission-Integrated Network Control (MINC) programme was set up to develop an autonomous tactical network and enable critical data flow in contested environments.
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