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Dispatches I
ULA + NRO • ORBCOMM • Innoflight • L3Harris • Kleos Space + NRO • Spectra Group • Norwegian Defence Material Agency + Indra

 

 



ULA Delta IV Heavy dispatches NROL-91 to orbit for SSC + NRO 


A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy
rocket carrying a critical payload for the National
Reconnaissance Office (NRO) lifted off with the
NROL-91 mission from Space Launch Complex-6
on September 24th at 3:25 p.m. PDT.
Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

The Mobile Service Tower (MST) rolls back from
the United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy
rocket carrying NRO’s NROL-91 mission in
preparation for launch from Space Launch Complex-6
at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
Photo credit: United Launch Alliance

A United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy rocket carrying the NROL-91 mission for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) lifted off on September 24 at 3:25 p.m., PDT, from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Space Force Base. 

To date ULA has launched 153 times with 100 percent mission success. “The NRO has been, and continues to be, a phenomenal partner through 32 collaborative launch campaigns, stemming from ULA’s very first launch in 2006,” said Gary Wentz, ULA vice president of Government and Commercial Programs. 

He continued, “This mission was ULA’s 96th National Security mission and the NRO’s 10th mission on board a Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle – a history that we are very proud of. 

“This was also ULA’s 95th Delta mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base and our fifth and final Delta IV Heavy from the West Coast, completing a long, successful tenure of delivering critical national security payloads,” added Wentz. “We look forward to preparing Space Launch Complex-3 for future Vulcan flights from the West Coast.” 

Leveraging a legacy of 100 percent mission success launching more than 150 missions to explore, protect and enhance our world, ULA is the nation’s most experienced and reliable launch service provider with world-leading reliability, schedule confidence, and mission optimization. We deliver value unmatched by any launch services company in the industry, a tireless drive to improve, and commitment to the extraordinary. 
www.ulalaunch.com 


ORBCOMM’s AIS Services selected for two USG Agency competitive contracts 

ORBCOMM Inc. has been awarded a multi-year contract by a U.S. Government Agency for a competitive renewal of its global Automatic Identification System (AIS) data services used for ship tracking and other maritime navigational and safety efforts. 


The upcoming launch of two Kelpie AIS satellites
with AAC Clyde Space are expected to expand
coverage of ORBCOMM’s constellation, increase
visibility to smaller Class B ships and extend its
polar footprint.

In addition, ORBCOMM was awarded a separate competitive contract to deliver AIS services to multiple other U.S. Government users. 

ORBCOMM’s AIS data will continue to be used in a maritime domain awareness software platform that supports key U.S. Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security agencies, along with U.S. partner nations around the world. 

The contract is for a 5-year period, including option years, which began in August 2022. 

ORBCOMM’s AIS data service has provided the most comprehensive and reliable global coverage in the market over the last decade. 

ORBCOMM continues to enhance its global AIS data services with the upcoming launch of two Kelpie AIS satellites with AAC Clyde Space. 

The Kelpie satellites feature advanced software defined radio (SDR) receivers and unique, multi- antenna implementation and are expected to expand coverage of ORBCOMM’s constellation, increase visibility to smaller Class B ships and extend its polar footprint. 

In addition, ORBCOMM is participating in the AOS consortium with AAC Clyde Space and Saab to launch a VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) demonstration satellite, expected to launch in early 2023, that will enable two-way data communications between ships and shore using new VHF channels adjacent to AIS. 

“ORBCOMM has supported the U.S. Government with its pioneering satellite AIS service since 2008, and these significant contract awards once again demonstrate that ORBCOMM continues to provide comprehensive worldwide AIS data to its customers at the best value,” said Greg Flessate, Senior Vice President of Government and AIS Services. 

He continued, “ORBCOMM remains committed to expanding its industry-leading AIS data services and providing more extensive global coverage with increased bandwidth and versatility.” 


IDIQ JADC2 Contract Goes to Innoflight 

Innoflight has been awarded a $950,000,000 ceiling Indefinite Delivery / Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract for the maturation, demonstration and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software and algorithm development in order to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2). 

This multiple award contract provides awardees the opportunity to compete for efforts within seven different competitive pools that support the development and operation of systems as a unified force across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber, and electromagnetic spectrum) in an open architecture family of systems that enables capabilities via multiple integrated platforms. Future work under this multiple-award IDIQ contract will be competed via the Fair Opportunity process. 

“Innoflight is pleased that the Air Force recognizes the relevance and applicability of Innoflight’s technology portfolio in the JADC2 strategy,” said Jeff Janicik, Innoflight President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our long-term proficiency with IP-enabled secure space networking (switches/ routers) including NSA-certified end cryptographic units combined with our high performance secure processors, data storage, and software-defined radios (space-to- ground, space-to-space, space- to-airborne, space-to-maritime) solutions, to name a few, are well suited for ABMS.” 

About the company... Innoflight is a Nontraditional Defense Contractor (NDC) founded in 2004. Innoflight offers state-of-the-art space avionics, including Communications & Networking Solutions, Cyber Security Solutions, Processing, Data Storage & Payload Interface Electronics Solutions, and Bus & Payload Integrated Avionics Solutions. The firm’s core competency is secure Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4) design through innovative implementation of modern Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) technology in tandem with common standards and protocols that produce modular, high performance, yet low Size Weight and Power (SWaP) systems at competitive prices. Our products are qualified through an Innoflight rigorous process that includes parts reliability analysis & testing, system level fault tolerance, and radiation risk mitigation. Our customers include the U.S. government, prime aerospace contractors and commercial space developers. 


L3Harris’ nexgen WESCAM MX™ Land Sights to assist U.S. Army soldiers ID manned + unmanned threats sooner 

L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) is providing 57 WESCAM MX-GCS sighting systems to help U.S. Army soldiers spot manned and unmanned threats sooner than ever before possible. 

This is the second delivery order to Moog Inc. in support of the U.S. Army’s Maneuver Short- Range Air Defense (M-SHORAD) Increment 1 program. Deliveries began mid 2022. 

The WESCAM MX-GCS is a fully digital, above-armor, sighting system. Integrated onto Moog’s Reconfigurable Integrated- weapons Platform turret, the WESCAM MX-GCS delivers situational awareness beyond the range of the vehicle’s primary direct fire weapon and provides next-generation sensing and target identification capabilities required to counter manned and unmanned airborne threats. 

“This second M-SHORAD award reinforces our trusted partnership with Moog and the U.S. Army across the land domain,” said Sean Stackley, President, Integrated Mission Systems, L3Harris. “Providing our soldiers with time-sensitive situational awareness is critical. The WESCAM MX-GCS delivers the capabilities required to assess and engage threats and targets with efficiency and accuracy.” 

L3Harris has delivered more than 1,200 WESCAM MX airborne and land-based systems since 1996 in support of U.S. Army programs. L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end- to-end solutions that meet customers’ mission-critical needs. The company provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across space, air, land, sea and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $18 billion in annual revenue and 47,000 employees, with customers in more than 100 countries. 


Kleos’ Observer Mission satellites pass testing + significant milestone for NRO contract 

The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) has awarded a Commercial RF Capabilities Contract to Kleos Space Inc. as part of the Strategic Commercial Enhancements Broad Agency Announcement (SCE BAA) Framework. 

Kleos Space S.A has revealed that their 4th cluster of four satellites, the Observer Mission (KSF3), is ready to be shipped to the launch site after successfully completing environmental test phases. The Observer Mission satellites have successfully completed all System Assembly and Integration and Test (SAIT) activities, followed by system level electrical and mechanical functionality verification, including environmental testing of the satellites. 

Each system has been subjected to vibration, thermal, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) tests, ensuring functionality of the cluster after launch for the duration of the mission. 

The Observer Mission satellites will be deployed into SSO from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on the SpaceX Transporter-6 mission that is currently scheduled for Q4 2022 launch. This smallsat placement will expand Kleos’ data collection capacity by as much as an additional 119 million km² per day. 

The NRO is responsible for maintaining global vigilance in times of peace and war. It develops, acquires, launches, and operates innovative space-based surveillance and reconnaissance systems that collect and deliver intelligence to enhance U.S. national security. After a multiple- phase proposal process, Kleos was awarded the first stage contract under the NRO’s SCE BAA Framework, focused on the analysis, modeling, and simulation of Kleos’ capabilities to support the U.S. Government’s current and future commercial radio frequency (RF) reconnaissance needs. 


Spectra Group’s 4,000+ SlingShot system surpasses a significant milestone in the U.S. 

Spectra Group has announced at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) exhibition that there are now more than 4,000 of their SlingShot SATCOM systems in operation with U.S. Special Operations Forces. 

This announcement follows on the heels of the company’s recent celebration of more than 7,000 SlingShot systems in operation with specialist and regular forces world-wide. The Spectra Group team will be available at AUSA to discuss their product capabilities. 

Since the SlingShot launch at the Military Satellite Conference in London in November of 2014, this small and lightweight SlingShot system has proven to be hugely popular with the United States Special Operations Forces and Intelligence Communities. 

SlingShot manpack unit, image is courtesy of the company. The system received safety accreditation from the U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command for U.S. Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiments and has been recommended by Battle Labs for its continued deployment. 

Spectra Group is now poised to help the U.S. Military leverage all of the key advantages of SlingShot, designed for specialist forces, to transform regular forces tactical communications capabilities throughout the wider U.S. Military on land, sea and air. Slingshot is perfect for missions where troops are deployed with minimal logistical support, in remote locations and have limited transport capacity. 

By integrating the SlingShot system with Inmarsat’s L-TAC satellite service, and attached to an in-service VHF or UHF radio, deployed troops instantly gain strategic communications over thousands of miles that would otherwise not be available without a significant communications infrastructure. 

In addition to the robust Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) voice capability, SlingShot also has sufficient bandwidth to carry critical data to support essential applications such as: situational awareness tools; GPS tracking; reporting and other data messaging without the requirement for ground-based line-of-sight re- broadcasting architecture. 

Finally, the Slingshot omni- directional antennas provide manpack, land, sea and air platforms with real-time Comms on the Move (COTM) rather than having to be static, as experienced with traditional TACSAT systems. 

Simon Davies, CEO of Spectra Group, said, “We are very proud of the Slingshot system and how successful it has been in solving the communications challenges faced by both specialist and regular forces when deployed all over the world in austere locations. Seven thousand units globally and 4,000 in the U.S. is a significant milestone. In Europe, SlingShot is now proving to be a battle- winning capability for regular forces and part of its success is the fact it is genuinely “plug and play,” converting any in-service tactical radio system into a BLOS and COTM SATCOM system with minimal training. We are now poised to help expand this capability from specialist to regular forces for the U.S. Military.” 


Indra awarded Norwegian Defence Material Agency contract for satellite ground segment implementation 

The Norwegian Defence Material Agency has awarded a contract to Indra to implement the satellite communication ground segment that is critical to the management of the Norwegian Armed Forces military operations. 

The company will be responsible for implementing the X- and Ka-band nodes that will act as a gateway between user terminals at various locations via the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) satellite constellation, one of the most advanced of its kind and with greater capacity for high- speed data exchanges. 

Indra will install certified anchor terminals, which will provide satellite communication services through a constellation used by some of the world’s most advanced armies. This project will enhance Indra’s position at the forefront of satellite communications, a technology field of increasing importance as theaters of operations are digitized and agile data exchanges becomes key. 

The systems are ready to operate under Nordic environmental and weather conditions and in settings with a heavily congested electromagnetic space, resisting any attempt by the adversary to hinder their transmissions. 

“We’re very proud of the trust that the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency has placed in Indra with this important contract. Our goal is to take the communications of the Norwegian Armed Forces to the highest standards of reliability and effectiveness. 

Our long-standing experience in the deployment of networks, stations and satellite terminals for all kinds of platforms place us at the technological forefront in this field”, said Igancio Mataix, Indra’s Chief Executive Officer. 

Indra provides proprietary solutions in specific segments in Transport and Defence markets, and a is leading firm in Digital Transformation and Information Technologies in Spain and Latin America through its affiliate, Minsait. Its business model is based on a comprehensive range of proprietary products, with a high value, end-to-end focus and with a high innovation component. In the 2021 financial year, Indra achieved revenue of €3.390 billion, nearly 52,000 employees, a local presence in 46 countries and business operations in more than 140 countries. 


Sigma Defense receives ABMS IDIQ Contract for JADC2 share 

Sigma Defense has been awarded a $950 million ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite- quantity (IDIQ) contract for the maturation, demonstration and proliferation of capability across platforms and domains, leveraging open systems design, modern software and algorithm development in order to enable Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2). 

This multiple award contract provides Sigma Defense the opportunity to compete for efforts within seven different competitive pools that support the development and operation of systems as a unified force across all domains (air, land, sea, space, cyber, and electromagnetic spectrum) in an open architecture family of systems that enables capabilities via multiple integrated platforms. 

Future work under this multiple- award Indefinite Delivery/ Indefinite Quantity contract will be competed via the Fair Opportunity process. 

Sigma Defense will support the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System for JADC2 by providing the critical surveillance, tactical edge communications, processing, networking, and battle management command and control capabilities to the joint warfighting force. “We are excited and honored to be chosen to support the Air Force ABMS program, taking the next step in making JADC2 a reality,” said Matt Jones, Chief Executive Officer at Sigma Defense. “Our ability to transmit and analyze data from multiple disparate sources is a key enabler of the DoD’s sensor to shooter architecture and further delivers on the vision of sense, make sense and act. Sigma Defense is uniquely positioned to deliver open architecture systems across multiple integrated platforms for greater visibility, enabling any shooter whether in space, on land, at sea, in the air, or in cyberspace.” 

Sigma Defense is a leading technology company serving the Department of Defense (DoD) providing systems and services for Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance since 2006. The company’s software- focused approach to tactical communications accelerates information collection and sharing for faster decision making and better mission outcomes. Customers turn to Sigma Defense for engineering, program management, and data logistics services for technical solutions that encompass ground, air, and space- based systems and sensors and network and satellite communications. Sigma Defense is headquartered in Perry, GA with satellite offices both CONUS and OCONUS.