General Dynamics Completes Milestone in Design of Navy's MUOS

General Dynamics C4 Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics , announced that it has completed the Critical Design Reviews (CDRs) for all segments of the ground system as well as terminal waveform software of the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS), the U.S. military's next-generation narrowband global mobile satellite communications system. The ground system and terminal waveform software will be provided to Lockheed Martin , prime contractor for the MUOS program. The MUOS ground system features ground transport and infrastructure, and network management (including a geolocation element and satellite control). The MUOS User Entry (terminal) Waveform Software will be delivered into the Joint Tactical Radio System (JTRS) library for future porting to radios being developed under the JTRS program. MUOS will enable secure, end-to-end communications for the warfighter on-the-move via MUOS-compatible terminals communicating with MUOS satellites.

The satellites provide both Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) and legacy Ultra High Frequency Follow-on (UFO) payload communications capabilities, providing both a significant increase in capacity with the WCDMA payload and continuity of legacy UFO communications. The satellites provide communications with ground terminals and enable connection to the Global Information Grid. The Navy's Program Executive Office for Space Systems, Chantilly, Va., and its Communications Satellite Program Office, San Diego, Calif., are responsible for the MUOS program.

General Dynamics is leading the development and deployment of the MUOS ground system that provides communications and controls interfaces between the MUOS satellites and U.S. Department of Defense earth-based communication networks. General Dynamics also will engineer the wireless protocol for communication between user terminals and the satellites. User terminals will be provided to the U.S. military under the Joint Tactical Radio System with an emphasis on handheld units. The MUOS system will provide familiar cell phone-like services with the satellites acting as "towers" in space, enabling warfighters on the ground to communicate directly with each other and their commanders virtually anywhere in the world. General Dynamics signed a contract with Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif., to provide the user-entry and integrated ground segments for the MUOS system in September 2004. The Lockheed Martin-led team is progressing on-schedule toward completion of the CDR phase this month with the conduct of the System CDR, which will validate the detailed design of the overall MUOS system to ensure it meets warfighter requirements. The first MUOS satellite is scheduled for on-orbit hand-over to the Navy in 2010 along with the entire ground system.