Next-Gen relay ground stations to transform Pacific's Missile-Warning System

Next-Gen relay ground stations to transform Pacific's Missile-Warning System
by Staff Writers
Boulder CO (SPX) Jun 02, 2023

Northrop Grumman Corporation has announced a major step towards upgrading the U.S. Naval Information Warfare Center's (NIWC Pacific) ground station relay in Asia. After a successful preliminary design review (PDR) of the Relay Ground Station-Asia (RGS-A), the company is set to connect both legacy and next-generation satellites with end users, marking an important milestone in the transformation of the existing missile-warning system.

Northrop Grumman, a leading global security company, completed this review a month ahead of the expected schedule, showcasing its commitment and capacity to quickly respond to the shifting requirements of its customers. The completion of the PDR suggests that the corporation is right on track with its vision of revolutionizing the current missile-warning infrastructure.

Aaron Dann, vice president of strategic force programs at Northrop Grumman, expressed his optimism about the project. He said, "The preliminary design review exceeded our customers' expectations and is the next step in delivering much-needed new capabilities to the Pacific region. Our advanced technologies will deliver what is needed to support missile-warning and missile-tracking satellites that protect our nation and its allies."

In a bid to overhaul the current missile-warning system, the U.S. Space Force has teamed up with the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) system. This collaboration forms the backbone of the FORGE architecture, which is geared towards developing ground relay stations that can support both existing and new satellite constellations. These stations will also be equipped to manage fluctuations in bandwidth and availability.

The mission to design, develop, integrate, test, and deliver the RGS-A was awarded to Northrop Grumman last year by NIWC Pacific, with a five-year contract worth $99.6 million. The majority of the project will be carried out at the Northrop Grumman campus located in Boulder, Colorado.

In collaboration with NIWC Pacific, the Space Systems Command (SSC) will develop six antennas for the RGS-A. This will support the next-generation Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) ground system, which maintains legacy satellites in geosynchronous orbit. The RGS-A will be deployed to Guam and, according to the latest updates, is on schedule to be installed by late 2025.