The first Milstar II military communications satellite has exceeded its expected 10-year design life, announced prime contractor Lockheed Martin. Milstar II Flight-4 has been operating in space since its launch on Feb. 27, 2001. It was the first of three Block II Milstar spacecraft to offer enhanced communications capabilities to the US military. The first two Milstar satellites, Block I spacecraft, have been working on orbit for more than 15 years each, already exceeding their design lives by five years. “The Milstar constellation has provided critical protected communications capabilities for our warfighters and will continue to make an important contribution to national security for many years to come,” said Kevin Bilger, Lockheed’s Global Communications Systems general manager. Lockheed-built Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellites will replace the five Milstar spacecraft. AEHF-1 reached orbit last August, but a propulsion anomaly has delayed its operational debut until late 2011.
‘Angry Kitten’ EW Pod Tested on Search-and-Rescue HC-130
April 17, 2026
The Air Force recently tested its “Angry Kitten” electronic warfare pod on an HC-130J during Exercise Bamboo Shield, showing the pod can turn the rescue platform into a command-and-control node and protect it from enemy radars.The tests follow what could be the pod’s first use in combat after it was…