Lockheed Martin says that the Defense Satellite Communications System III constellation has “surpassed 175 years of on-orbit service.” The DSCS constellation comprises nine satellites in geostationary orbit that provide worldwide military secure voice and high-data-rate communications. The company has built 14 DSCS spacecraft, the last of which launched in August 2003.
The House Armed Services Committee on June 4 approved an amendment to a key defense policy bill that would bar the Air Force from retiring E-3 Sentry aircraft through fiscal 2027.