Boeing completed software qualification testing and systems integration testing for the Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals it is developing for the Air Force, announced the company. It also integrated the terminals with the mission control system for Advanced Extremely High Frequency and Milstar military communications satellites, states the company’s Jan. 29 release. “With these significant achievements, Boeing has demonstrated via formal software qualification testing and informal system-level integration testing that the Boeing design meets FAB-T’s functional and performance requirements,” said Paul Geery, the company’s FAB-T program manager. He added, “We’ve also demonstrated AEHF spacecraft control, which is critical to FAB-T’s mission. Our effort is the only industry offering that has demonstrated this capability.” Raytheon is also maturing a FAB-T design for the Air Force as a potential alternate supplier under a contract awarded last September. AEHF and Milstar satellites will relay FAB-T communications once these terminals, both ground-based and airborne, are operational. FAB-T hardware will support the command and control of US nuclear forces. (See also Boeing Completes FAB-T Design Review.)
The Space Force is playing a key role in planning for “Golden Dome,” President Donald Trump’s initiative for comprehensive air and missile defense of the homeland, leaders said this week. But actually building and fielding the ambitious idea will require a major concerted effort across the Pentagon and intelligence community.