(U) Fleet Satellite Communications (FLTSATCOM)

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U) In operation since 1978 in geostationary orbits, the FLTSATCOM system provides UHF communications links between naval aircraft, ships, submarines, and ground stations.  FLTSATCOM also provides links between strategic force elements and the National Command Authorities via the hosted Air Force Satellite Communications (AFSATCOM) payload.   This system is being replaced by the UHF Follow-On (UFO).

Description: (U)
(U) The FLTSATCOM satellite system provides global UHF communications services between the latitudes of 70 degrees north and 70 degrees south.  The satellite system supports mobile ground terminals which include the Army AN/PSC-5 Spitfire, Air Force Miniature Air Terminals, Navy Mini-DAMA terminals, the Joint (UHF) MILSATCOM Network Integrated (JMINI) control system, and Navy Battlegroup and Special Intelligence (SI) Communications.  The Navy uses one 25-kHz fleet broadcast channel and nine 25-kHz fleet relay channels.  Air Force Satellite Communications (AFSATCOM) uses twelve narrowband 5-kHz channels and one wideband 500-kHz National Command Authority channel.  The fleet broadcast channel receives broadcasts at SHF, performs on-board processing, and downlinks at UHF.  

(U) The last two Fleet Satellite Communications (FSC) satellites (7 and 8) carry the FLTSATCOM EHF Package (FEP) with a 44-gHz uplink and a 20-gHz downlink communications package.  Originally developed by Lincoln Laboratory, the FEP was designed to demonstrate the operational capabilities of EHF terminals and to prove key functions of the Milstar system.  The FEP package is housed in a third hexagonal module added to the satellite.  The additional weight is accommodated by an improved launch vehicle and a new apogee motor.  New solar cells, with higher efficiency than those used on Satellites 1 to 5 provide the added power with no increase in solar array size.  The EHF package has both Earth coverage and spot beam antenna.  It demodulates up to 32 received signals, processes them, and reformats and modulates them for downlink transmission.  The uplinks are Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA) with Multiple Frequency Shifting Key (MFSK) modulation; they are combined into a single Time Division Multiplex (TDM) datastream for the downlink.

User Impact: (U)
(U) To be supplied.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Operational.
	(U) Termination: 01/1997 (2QFY1997).

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) Atlas, DMSP, Eastern Range, Enhanced Manpack UHF Terminal, Fleet EHF Package (FEP), Mini-Demand Assigned Mult Access, Network Control Station (NCS), TIBS/TDDS, UHF Follow-on (UFO)

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Satellite Operations, UHF Satellite Systems

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) MILSATCOM.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) Navy.

Date of Information: (U)
01 August 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)