2018 MILCOM

Sessions Speakers Exhibitors Press Releases Floor Plan Buzz

Restricted Technical Panel: Future Narrowband SATCOM Architectures (Room Chicago/Dallas)

This panel will focus on potential architectures to support the warfighters Narrowband SATCOM needs in the future. The MUOS satellites will exceed their 15-year design life from 2027 to 2031, therefore increasing the risk of meeting availability, capacity, and coverage requirements.  This risk and the potential for space to be a contested environment in the future will drive the Navy’s strategy to ensure warfighter Narrowband SATCOM capabilities are met beyond 2030.  Although the Services have invested in the MUOS WCDMA capability, more substantial investments are required to transition the user terminals to this new capability.  Given some of the challenges in transitioning, from both a cost and operational point-of-view, the Navy needs to determine the most cost-effective means to provide Narrowband SATCOM in the future. This panel will explore where the Narrowband SATCOM requirements are headed, consider constellation replenishment options, examine commercial capabilities to support the Narrowband mission, and discuss international partnerships and other innovative acquisition strategies; all with a goal of meeting the warfighters Narrowband SATCOM needs in the future.