Boeing tested new anti-jamming technology on WGS-6, the Air Force’s sixth Wideband Global Satellite Communications spacecraft, announced the company on Monday. During the mid December test, Boeing sent a US government-developed, protected signal through WGS-6; engineers confirmed that the signal met the accuracy and strength targets, states the company’s Jan. 13 release. “This technology boosts the ability of warfighters to send protected information without enemy data interference by using currently available satellites that do not have anti-jamming technology of their own,” said Craig Cooning, general manager of Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems. The demonstration with WGS-6 built upon the test Boeing conducted using this technology with a commercial satellite in July, states the release. “The two demonstrations show the technology is flexible and able to be quickly deployed at a much lower cost than building a new satellite,” said Cooning. (See also WGS Operational Constellation Grows.)
The Air Force on March 12 awarded contract modifications worth a combined $2.4 billion to Boeing to procure an undisclosed number of E-7 Wedgetail as part of the program's engineering and manufacturing development phase and continue work on the airborne battle management aircraft’s radar.