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.)
Members of the House Armed Services Committee say the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile program has been set back three months due to the ongoing government shutdown. The comment is noteworthy because the JATM's status has been kept tightly under wraps.
