U.S. Space Force receives first satellite jamming system

Key Points
  • L3Harris Technologies has delivered the first Meadowlands Counter Communications System production unit to the U.S. Space Force’s Mission Delta 3 electromagnetic warfare unit.
  • The Meadowlands system is a mobile, ground-based platform designed to disrupt adversary satellite communications.

L3Harris Technologies has delivered the first production Meadowlands Counter Communications System to the U.S. Space Force Combat Forces Command’s Mission Delta 3 – Space Electromagnetic Warfare unit.

According to a statement from the company, the delivery is intended to support Space Force units tasked with electromagnetic warfare missions by providing mobile jamming capabilities that can interfere with hostile communications while maintaining control of friendly operations.

“L3Harris remains committed to pushing the boundaries of space technology and innovation,” said Ed Zoiss, President of Space and Airborne Systems at L3Harris. “The successful delivery of the Meadowlands Counter Communications System (CCS) production unit reflects our dedication to the Space Force’s mission to protect our nation’s interests in space.”

- ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW -

The Meadowlands system is a more compact and transportable version of the existing Counter Communications System. Company officials say it uses ground-based radio frequency units to disrupt satellite communications and has been designed with mobility as a core requirement. The system can be mounted on wheeled trailers, allowing operators to reposition it quickly to reduce vulnerability to adversary counter-jamming efforts.

As noted by the company, this mobility is intended to give Space Force units greater flexibility in contested environments, where fixed installations may be easier for adversaries to locate and target. The Meadowlands configuration allows forces to deploy, operate, relocate, and resume operations with limited downtime.

The delivery builds on L3Harris’ ongoing partnership with the U.S. Space Force. In addition to the newly delivered production unit, the company provided the first two Meadowlands systems earlier this year under a development contract, according to the press release.

U.S. military officials have increasingly warned that space is no longer a benign environment. At the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference, U.S. Space Force Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman addressed the growing range of threats facing U.S. and allied assets in orbit.

“Our adversaries are developing counter-space weapons, and we must be ready to respond with speed, precision and resilience,” Saltzman said.

While the Meadowlands system operates from the ground, it is designed to play a role in broader space control and space defense missions. By interfering with satellite communications used by adversaries, electromagnetic warfare units aim to limit an opponent’s ability to command forces, collect intelligence, or coordinate operations during a conflict.

The Space Force has emphasized that capabilities such as Meadowlands complement other space domain awareness efforts, including sensors and command-and-control systems that track objects and activities in orbit. Together, these tools are intended to support decision-making and protect U.S. and allied space-based infrastructure.

As space becomes increasingly contested, L3Harris and Space Force officials say systems like Meadowlands are part of a broader effort to ensure operational freedom in orbit. The focus is not only on detecting threats but also on having options to respond when adversaries attempt to interfere with satellites or supporting networks.

Readers who wish to follow our weekly coverage can subscribe to the Weekly Defense Roundup.

If you wish to report a grammatical or factual error in this article, please let us know by using the online form.

Executive Editor

Support The Defence Blog

Independent reporting takes resources. Join us on Patreon.

Become a patron

More Like This

Greece is arming up with U.S.-made kamikaze drones

The U.S. State Department approved a possible sale to Greece of Switchblade 300 Block 20 systems, a portable loitering munition built by AeroVironment (AV)...

U.S. Air Force wants ground launcher for drones and missiles

The U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's Command, Control, Communications, and Battle Management Directorate at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio published a...

Chinese spy vessels cross U.S. waters on the way to the Arctic

Two Chinese research ships pushed north through American waters off Alaska this week, and for the first time this year, they didn't just skirt...

Unknown U.S. Navy drone boat spotted leaving Virginia base under escort

A U.S. Navy security boat escorted an unfamiliar uncrewed vessel out of Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek, and the open-source account Aviation and Naval...

U.S.-based aerospace firm X-Bow Systems heads to Farnborough

U.S.-based aerospace firm X-Bow Systems announced it will exhibit at the Farnborough International Airshow, running July 20 through 24 in Hampshire, England, setting up...

Germany and France scale back their joint tank program

Germany and France just reduced one of Europe's most ambitious tank programs to a single, carefully worded sentence about "platform-independent technology," and defense analysts...