The new mission control segment for the Air Force’s forthcoming constellation of advanced extremely high frequency communications satellites is now operating, prime contractor Lockheed Martin announced Tuesday. This ground control system is now running the current Milstar communications satellites on orbit and will control the AEHF satellites once they are in space, according to the company. “This is a key milestone that will assure continuous and vital communications for the warfighter from the legacy system to the new, higher capability AEHF satellite system,” said Mike Davis, Lockheed AEHF vice president. The first AEHF satellite is scheduled for launch into orbit later this month from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. AEHF satellites will succeed the five-satellite Milstar constellation in providing global, highly secure, protected, and survivable communications to US combat forces. Lockheed is the AEHF prime contractor.
The Air Force and Boeing agreed to a nearly $2.4 billion contract for a new lot of KC-46 aerial tankers on Nov. 21. The deal, announced by the Pentagon, is for 15 new aircraft in Lot 11 at a cost of $2.389 billion—some $159 million per tail.