The U.S. Space Force has awarded Boeing a $2.8 billion contract to develop and produce a new generation of secure, survivable communications satellites designed to support strategic missions into the next decade.
The Department of Defense announced Thursday that The Boeing Company, based in El Segundo, California, will provide four Evolved Strategic Satellite Communications (ESS) space vehicles under the agreement. The contract totals $2,838,537,105 and is set to run through December 31, 2033.
According to the Pentagon, work on the program will be performed at Boeing’s El Segundo facilities. Fiscal 2025 research, development, test, and evaluation funds amounting to $100 million are being obligated at the time of award.
The ESS program is intended to succeed the Space Force’s current Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite constellation, providing enhanced resilience against threats and advanced cybersecurity capabilities for critical communications.
The ESS program will deliver secure and survivable communications for strategic operations in contested environments.
Evolved Strategic SATCOM will play a vital role in ensuring uninterrupted connectivity for U.S. forces and national command authorities during a conflict, particularly in the face of advanced electronic warfare and cyber threats. The satellites are expected to support nuclear command and control and other high-priority defense communications.
Boeing, which has extensive experience in military and commercial satellite programs, will be responsible for the design, development, testing, and delivery of the four ESS space vehicles over the next eight years.