The US Space Force has made a bet on the future of military communications: They selected five large companies to develop a new generation of secure tactical satellite communications, a technology that will allow troops to communicate anywhere in the world, even in the face of severe interference or cyber attacks.
The list of lucky ones includes: Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Viasat, Intelsat and Astranis. Each of them will receive a share of the total pie — $37.2 million distributed over six-month contracts. The goal is simple: in six months to propose prototypes or concepts of systems that can operate in combat conditions while remaining resistant to suppression, hacking and electronic attacks.
Such a connection is critically important. Imagine: a SWAT team in a remote desert, a drone over enemy territory, or a ship in the open ocean — they all need to transmit data quickly and reliably without fear that the signal will be intercepted or jammed. This is exactly what the new "secure tactical communications" is supposed to provide.
Of particular interest is the participation of Astranis, a relatively young player specializing in miniature satellites. This may mean that the Pentagon is looking not only for powerful, but also flexible, quick-to-deploy solutions.
So far, this is only the initial stage — six months for ideas and prototypes. But it's already clear: The United States is preparing for the wars of the future, where control of space and communications decides everything. And now they have a team that must make sure that American troops are always in touch — and out of enemy reach.
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