Boeing will begin production of the seventh Wideband Global Satcom spacecraft, WGS-7, under a $182 million contract that the Air Force announced Thursday. These funds will cover “the necessary items” to begin the satellite’s manufacture, according to USAF’s contract announcement, which appeared in the Pentagon’s major contracts list for Aug. 19. WGS-7 is expected to be in the Block II configuration as WGS-4, -5, and -6. WGS satellites provide military communications to US and allied forces worldwide. The first three WGS spacecraft are Block I satellites already on orbit. The Air Force just recently disclosed that WGS-3 has commenced operational service. WGS-4, -5, and -6 are planned for launch in 2012 and 2013.
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.