|
|
Library > Fact Sheets > Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate
MILITARY SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS DIRECTORATE
Posted 8/16/2011
Printable Fact Sheet
MISSION
The Military Satellite Communications Systems Directorate develops, acquires and sustains space-enabled, global communications capabilities to support national objectives.
PERSONNEL
MILSATCOM includes a total force of approximately 102 assigned military, 148 assigned civilians, 184 Federally Funded Research and Development Center contractors, and 378 other contractors.
ORGANIZATION
MCSD consists of an integrated system of satellites, terminals and control stations, valued at more than $41 billion, providing communications to aircraft, ships, mobile and fixed sites. MCSD is made up of Joint Service military, government civilians, The Aerospace Corporation, MITRE, Lincoln Labs, Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance, National Security Agency, our industrial partners and the contract work force that support us. MCSD is headquartered at Los Angeles Air Force Base with an Alexandria, Va. operating location. Air Force terminal programs are executed by the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom AFB, Mass. MILSATCOM terminals are sustained by the Space Logistics Group in Colorado Springs, Colo.
MILSATCOM consists of five Divisions and one Branch:
The Protected SATCOM Division (MCA) provides the DoD survivable, global, secure, protected, jam-resistant communications for high priority military ground, sea, and air assets. The division executes the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) program. In addition, the division provides operations and sustainment support to the on-orbit Milstar (Military Strategic and Tactical Relay) constellation.
The Enhanced Polar Division (MCN) is the next-generation SATCOM system that will replace the current Interim Polar System (IPS) and serve as a polar adjunct to the Advanced EHF system. The Enhanced Polar System (EPS) will provide continuous coverage in the polar region for secure, jam-resistant, strategic and tactical communications to support peacetime, contingency, homeland defense, humanitarian assistance, and wartime operations.
The Wideband SATCOM Division (MCW) provides worldwide, high-volume, voice and data communications to the warfighter. The division executes the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) program providing operations and sustainment support for the on-orbit Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) constellation and the first three WGS satellites.
The Advanced Concepts Division (MCX) is responsible for defining next generation SATCOM capabilities to meet warfighting needs for the Joint Space Communications Layer. The division is developing options to evolve the AEHF and WGS systems through capability insertion programs (CIPs) as well as leveraging innovative commercial SATCOM opportunities to augment and expand military systems. Through comprehensive architectural planning, the division will ensure end-to-end solutions for space and ground synchronization while introducing new communications-on-the-move (COTM) and airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (AISR) capabilities.
The Space and Nuclear Networks Division (SNND) develops, acquires and operationally deploys communication terminals synchronized to support satellite weapon system operations and provides support for 16,000 aircraft, transportable and fixed site terminals. Protected SATCOM terminals ensure low probability of intercept/detection communications for National and strategic leadership. These include the currently operational Milstar Command Post Terminal (CPT) and Family of Advanced Beyond Line-of-Sight Terminals (FAB-T) development program. Wideband communication terminals provide global communications with high data rates. These include the Ground Multi-band Terminal (GMT), the High Data Rate - Radio Frequency (HDR-RF) ground terminal program which is an evolutionary upgrade to the GMT, and the High Data-Rate Airborne Terminal (HDRAT). SNND also executes the Global Broadcast Service (GBS) program. Although not a terminal, GBS provides one-way, wideband transmission service capable of supporting timely delivery of classified and unclassified data and video products for mission support and theater information transfer.
The MILSATCOM Command and Control Branch (MCC) directs the Command and Control System-Consolidated (CCS-C) program and is responsible for satellite command and control system development for all MILSATCOM systems. CCS-C is the command and control system of record for Milstar, DSCS, WGS and AEHF satellites. Ultimately, the CCS-C program will control over 26 military communications satellites across four families, using state-of-the-art commercial telemetry, tracking and commanding (TT&C) technology. As of October 2010, CCS-C supports nine DSCS satellites, five Milstar satellites, three WGS satellites and one AEHF satellite.
Related fact sheets:
AEHF
WGS
DSCS
Milstar
CCS
GBS
JTEO
OSL
Terminals
Enhanced Polar System (EPS)
| |
|
|
|
| |
SMC Public Affairs
483 N. Aviation Blvd.
Los Angeles AFB
El Segundo, CA 90245
Phone: (310) 653-1131
Media queries should be sent to: smcpa.media@us.af.mil. Public queries or event requests should be sent to: SMCPA.OUTREACH@us.af.mil
The base's mailing address is 483 North Aviation. To get directions to the base using a GPS navigation device or a web-based map service, such as Google Maps or MapQuest, use this address to find the main gate:
400 North Douglas St., El Segundo, CA, 90245 |
|
| |
|
|
