U.S. aerospace and defense company General Dynamics Corp has been awarded a contract for sustainment of the Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) ground system, a next-generation military satellite communications system, according to a recent U.S. Department of Defense statements.
The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Friday a cost-plus-award-fee and firm-fixed-price agreement worth about $731,8 million.
MUOS is a narrowband military satellite communications system that supports a worldwide, multiservice population of users, providing modern netcentric communications capabilities while supporting legacy terminals.
The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) is the U.S. Navy’s next-generation satellite communications system providing voice and data communications for U.S. forces anytime, anywhere. General Dynamics Mission Systems provides the integrated ground segments for MUOS, which will soon provide cell phone-like communications for warfighters on the move.
The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) is an Ultra High Frequency (300 MHz to 3 GHz frequency range) SATCOM system, primarily serving the Pentagon. International allies use is under consideration. The MUOS will replace the legacy UHF Follow-On system before that system reaches its end of life to provide users with new capabilities and enhanced mobility, access, capacity, and quality of service. Intended primarily for mobile users (e.g. aerial and maritime platforms, ground vehicles, and dismounted soldiers), MUOS will extend users’ voice, data, and video communications beyond their lines-of-sight.
The GD’s website said the MUOS covers everywhere. It has a worldwide reach to support warfighters on patrol in hostile environments, whether urban, canyon, mountains or jungles—or even the Arctic Circle. The system provides a familiar cellular phone-like service, allowing forces on the ground to communicate directly with each other and their commanders regardless of location, at higher levels of quality and much greater capacity than available today.
The MUOS communications system completed a series of critical test and evaluation events and, in October 2019 was assessed as operationally effective, operational suitable and cyber survivable.
Under the contract, from Naval Information Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, California and announced on Friday, work is expected to be completed by November 2029.