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The defence and aerospace giant has integrated its anti-jam software with a user terminal as part of a demonstration supporting a US Space Force SATCOM project.
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Boeing’s Protected Tactical Enterprise Service (PTES) software elements have been successfully integrated with an industry partner’s user terminal in a bid to deliver ground-based Protected Tactical Waveform (PTW) processing – the US military’s jam resistant waveform designed to provide security features for data protection.
PTES is expected to bolster operational security and protect tactical communications coverage over Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellites without spacecraft modification.
The capability is also tipped to reduce interference and adversarial jamming for high-data-rate satellite communications in contested environments, strengthening resilience and enabling missions in otherwise denied areas.
“The Space Force and our industry partners are employing continuous integration, rapid prototyping and agile development across the PTES program to ensure successful deployment of this critical capability, at mission relevant-speed,” Charlotte Gerhart, Space Systems Command’s Tactical SATCOM division chief, said.
“A great deal of coordination and real-time collaboration is required for industry teammates to achieve a successful integration event like this one.
“To fulfill our vision of digital dominance, the Space Force is building on these types of accomplishments to continue developing the most advanced mission-enabling technology to counter the threat.”
According to Boeing, the demonstration validated the system’s ability to interface with a PTW ground terminal, while also validating the network management software and virtualised mission planning components.
“This incremental system demonstration provides valuable feedback from Space Force operators and other members of the user community, reducing development and integration risk, while ensuring system capabilities are adaptable to change,” Troy Dawson, Boeing’s vice-president of government satellite systems, said.
“We’re committed to the Space Force’s mission to rapidly develop and deploy technology at operationally relevant speed. Our PTES program demonstrates how stakeholder collaboration and agile development enable continued advancements to meet the evolving threats on the battlefield.”
In August 2021, Boeing and the Space Force completed the PTES program’s inaugural over-the-air forward-link demonstration using a PTW modem, with the next demonstrations scheduled later this year.
Initial operational capability is expected in 2023.
[Related: Boeing invests $5m in Aussie partners under JP 9102 satellite manufacturing plan]
