REDONDO BEACH, Calif.,
Aug. 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/
-- The industry-funded Low Cost Terminal (LCT) was
successfully tested this month with an on-orbit Advanced Extremely
High Frequency (AEHF) satellite. This critical milestone
demonstrates the ability of an affordable tactical terminal to
connect with the DoD's most highly assured protected communications
network. The industry development team is led by Northrop
Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and Lockheed Martin (NYSE:
LMT).
The AEHF system, designed for both strategic and tactical users,
enables military users around the globe to securely transmit
critical information which includes everything from nuclear command
and control to real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting
data. The AEHF system is already on orbit, and can potentially
support many more users than there are terminals available
today. LCT can enable more tactical warfighters to be able to
use protected satellite communications, so they can have assured
connectivity in contested environments.
"This is a huge milestone for protected satellite communications
and its military users," said Cyrus
Dhalla, vice president of communications systems, Northrop
Grumman. "LCT achieves low cost by leveraging existing
designs, technology, and investments, while adopting a commercial
procurement and production model. It was designed for easy
operation and low maintenance and training costs to make it truly
affordable for tactical users needing highly protected anti-jam,
low probability of detection communications."
This is the first time that a completely industry-funded and
developed terminal has been allowed to access the AEHF satellite.
In order to reach this milestone, the security architecture had to
be validated by the appropriate organizations, and additional
approvals had to come from Strategic Command and Air Force Space
Command.
"The ability to send sensitive information over a protected
network that is resistant to interruption and anti-jam is critical
to ensuring the safety and success of our military troops here at
home and allies abroad," said Iris
Bombelyn, vice president, Protected Communications, Lockheed
Martin Space Systems. "The successful over-the-air test of the Low
Cost Terminal shows that we are ready to bring this capability to
more users in the near-term."
The LCT is currently being developed in three variants:
airborne, ground comm-on-the-move and rapidly deployable fixed
terminal designs, which can also be deployed for maritime
applications. Each variant is significantly smaller in size and
weight than fully-capable strategic terminals, making them a better
fit for tactical applications, while offering major cost and ease
of use. The Industry team is seeking government partners to help
champion the final production-version LCT for government
certification. Provided testing and certifications are completed in
time, the terminals can be available by the end of 2018. No other
option for fielding protected SATCOM for the tactical warfighter is
possible in the next few years.
The LCT takes advantage of Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin
system knowledge and engineering experience gained over 30 years as
providers of the nation's MILSTAR and AEHF satellite systems for
protected military communications. They manage a team which
combines commercial and military experience, small and large
businesses, which has resulted in the innovations necessary to
produce an LCT that will cost a small fraction of the cost of
current generation terminals.
About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing
innovative systems, products and solutions in autonomous systems,
cyber, C4ISR, strike, and logistics and modernization to customers
worldwide. Please visit news.northropgrumman.com and follow us on
Twitter, @NGCNews, for more information.
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda,
Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace
company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is
principally engaged in the research, design, development,
manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology
systems, products and services.
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin