Lockheed Martin Demonstrates New Satellite Range Extension Capability For MDA/Navy Defense Applications
Lockheed Martin Space
Systems Company today announced that it has successfully tested a proof-of-
concept system that will extend the range and effectiveness of the U.S. Navy’s
Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) by thousands of square miles.
CEC significantly improves battle force anti-aircraft warfare (AAW)
capabilities by integrating the sensor data of cooperating ships and aircraft
into a single, real-time, fire-control-quality composite track picture that
supports integrated engagements. By simultaneously distributing sensor data on
airborne threats to each ship within a battle group, CEC extends the range at
which a given ship can engage hostile aircraft and missiles to well beyond its
own radar horizon, significantly improving area, local, and self-defense
capabilities.
Funded by the Missile Defense Agency and managed by the Naval Sea Systems
Command (NAVSEA – PMS465), the CEC Space Systems Integration contract is a
joint effort between The Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory
(JHU/APL) and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif. The
effort is developing a prototype CEC satellite range extension (SRE)
capability using the DoD’s Milstar satellite constellation with both anti-
aircraft warfare and ballistic missile defense applications. The Milstar
constellation provides protected, global communication links for the joint
forces of the U.S. military and can transmit voice, data, and imagery, in
addition to offering video teleconferencing capabilities.
“This is an example of the transformational, network-centric warfare
capabilities the Missile Defense Agency and the Navy are pursuing. Our tests
to date confirm the benefit of Milstar satellite communications range
extension for CEC’s anti-air warfare mission, and we are eager to extend the
testing to show benefits to ballistic missile defense, as well,” said Doug
Graham, vice president, Defensive Systems, Lockheed Martin Space Systems.
Two of three progressively more challenging anti-air warfare/ballistic
missile defense virtual engagement demonstrations have been completed at land-
based sites using CEC satellite range extension hardware. The team working on
the new architecture recently completed the first two tests, which confirmed
that CEC with Milstar II satellite range extension enables Aegis cruisers to
defend against air breathing threats beyond their own radar horizons.
The tests employed land-based ship simulators to represent two CEC-
equipped Aegis cruisers and one CEC-equipped aircraft carrier, and made the
first live use of Milstar II’s medium data rate (MDR) satellite to provide the
equivalent of a ship-based force multiplier. The first test, completed in
March 2002, demonstrated an Aegis anti-air warfare cued engagement over the
horizon using INMARSAT. In the second test, conducted in October, an Aegis
anti-air warfare launch-on-remote and engage-on-remote dual communications
network, consisting of the organic CEC Data Distribution System and Milstar
II, successfully tracked hundreds of airborne targets.
A third experiment is planned for mid-2003 to demonstrate ballistic
missile composite tracking, again using Milstar II.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, headquartered in Denver, Colo., is
one of the major operating units of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Space Systems
designs, develops, tests, manufactures and operates a variety of advanced
technology systems for military, civil and commercial customers. Chief
products include a full-range of space launch systems, including heavy-lift
capability, ground systems, remote sensing and communications satellites for
commercial and government customers, advanced space observatories and
interplanetary spacecraft, fleet ballistic missiles and missile defense
systems.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global enterprise
principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and
integration of advanced-technology systems, products and services. The
Corporation’s core businesses are systems integration, space, aeronautics, and
technology services.
For more information about Lockheed Martin Space Systems, see our website
at http://lmms.external.lmco.com/
Contact: Lori Reichert (408) 742-7606
Mobile (408) 887-5858
lori.k.reichert@lmco.com
