Workers prepare the Air Force’s third Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite for launch Sept. 12, 2013, near Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. The space vehicle was encapsulated into its fairing Aug. 27, 2013, before being mated to an Atlas V rocket. It was scheduled to launch Sept. 18, 2013. AEHF is a joint-service system that provides survivable, near worldwide, secure, protected, and jam-resistant communications for high-priority national military operations. (Courtesy photo/Lockheed Martin)
Lockheed Martin announced the successful delivery of its fourth Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, according to an Aug. 6 press release.
The highly protected communication satellite, known as AEHF-4, is set to launch into orbit on an United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket in October.
As the prime contractor on the Air Force’s $15 billion AEHF program, Lockheed Martin is charged with building a jam-resistant system that protected communication between strategic commanders and tactical warfighters operating in all domains. Michael Cacheiro, the company’s vice president for protected communications said “four AEHF satellites in orbit means protected global connectivity for those who need it most, from the president to deployed soldiers … Delivering this fourth satellite in orbit will be critical to the Air Force, as it will connect all four satellites on orbit, forming a geostationary ring to provide uninterrupted global communications.”
In the release, Cachiero said AEHF provides roughly 10 times more communications throughput than the Air Force’s legacy satellite system.
Lockheed Martin is currently under contract to deliver six AEHF satellites.