Boeing has secured a $2.8bn contract from the US Space Force (USSF) to develop and produce satellites under the Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications (ESS) programme.
These satellites will support secure space-based nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) for the US President and joint strategic forces globally.
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The contract includes provisions for an additional two satellites, subject to future options being exercised.
The USSAF said initial delivery of the first four satellites will occur under a cost reimbursement contract. This is part of a broader $12bn ESS Space Segment acquisition effort.
Future satellites, aimed at achieving full operational capability and providing global coverage with improved Arctic capability, are anticipated to be procured through fixed-price contracts. These contracts may be awarded on a sole-source basis.
The ESS programme aims to provide secure, modernised, and resilient satellite communications (SATCOM) connectivity for Presidential National Voice Conferencing and the broader NC3 enterprise.
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By GlobalDataBoeing emphasises that the ESS satellites will offer enhanced “capacity, flexibility, reliability, and resilience” compared to existing SATCOM satellites on orbit.
The company has been engaged in technical maturation and risk reduction efforts under a rapid prototyping contract for the USSAF since 2020.
Boeing Space, Intelligence and Weapon Systems general manager and vice president Kay Sears said: “The US needs a strategic national security architecture that works without fail, with the highest level of protection and capability.
“We designed an innovative system to provide guaranteed communication to address an evolving threat environment in space.”
The ESS satellites will operate in geostationary orbit, approximately 35,700km above the Earth’s surface, ensuring continuous coverage to strategic military personnel across the globe.
They will feature a highly protected waveform and classified technologies developed in collaboration with the US Department of Defense to prevent signal disruption or interception.
The company’s ESS solution draws on technology previously developed for the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS)-11 and WGS-12 satellites. This technology has also been successfully deployed in the commercial O3b mPOWER constellation.
Boeing said the new strategic military SATCOM constellation will incorporate this technology, featuring flexible and resilient signals designed to safeguard against disruptions or interceptions.
The company is expected to deliver the first of the two initial satellites by 2031, enhancing the US military’s strategic communication capabilities and ensuring better connectivity for national security operations.
Boeing Space Mission Systems vice president Michelle Parker said: “This win validates all the investments and innovations we’ve made in our satellite technology, creating a technically mature and low risk offering for the government.
“We scaled our production capacity, invested in our team, hired cleared talent, and assembled hot production lines to make sure that we can hit the ground running from day one. We are committed to delivering this critical capability to meet the strategic need.”
