WGS-5, the Air Force’s fifth Wideband Global Satellite Communications spacecraft, is now operating on-orbit as part of the WGS constellation, providing the US military and international partners with additional access to fast, secure communications, announced Boeing, the satellite’s manufacturer on Wednesday. “WGS-5 addresses a critical need of the Defense Department by increasing capacity and enhancing global coverage, supporting warfighters with communications bandwidth when they need it,” said Craig Cooning, vice president of Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems, in the company’s Oct. 2 release. WGS-5 reached space in late May; the Air Force and Boeing then conducted on-orbit testing of it before turning it over to the unit that will control it over its operational service life. WGS-5 is the second Block II spacecraft in the WGS series after WGS-4 and the three less-capable WGS Block I satellites. The next spacecraft in the series, WGS-6, has been on orbit since early August and is undergoing testing.
US Has Struck Over 1,000 Houthi Targets in Renewed Campaign
April 30, 2025
U.S. forces have struck more than 1,000 Houthi targets in Yemen since March 15, U.S. officials said, as the Trump administration’s military campaign against the militants reached the 45-day mark. Dubbed Operation Rough Rider, the campaign has drawn on U.S. Navy and Air Force warplanes and drones. The campaign shows…