The current view of warfighter satellite communication is based on individual, independent mission-specific systems supporting operations within a particular area of interest. Today’s satellite communication systems support mission specific needs, such as Blue Force Tracking, Brigade Combat Team headquarters, Airborne ISR, etc. Each of these individual systems typically operates within the same area of interest and adversarial threat environment. What would be the view from a Department or COCOM perspective? Would the problem be characterized differently? Would the satellite designs and system architectures be structurally different? This paper will look at how to move broadband satellite communication to where the fight is and where the fight will go. It will discuss the requirements from the perspective of layers of services versus layers of missions that build from space-based ISR; down to high-altitude, medium-altitude, low-altitude ISR; then down to air, ground and maritime force operations and C2. This paper will explore the number of Gbps required to support these layers, over what area of interest, and over what timeframe or operational phases.

This paper will explore the key dimensions of value required to solve these needs from a satellite design and system architecture perspective including visible earth coverage (enabling essentially global service), improving bandwidth economics, improving bandwidth allocation flexibility, lowering of spacecraft costs, and reducing satellite lead times. This paper will also analyze the DoD’s satellite communication acquisition processes and authorities with respect to this HCS end-to-end structured investment approach to determine if they are conducive of acquiring such technologies.