Northrop Grumman [NOC] proved in May a new active electronically scanned array (AESA) antenna it developed for the B-2 can establish and maintain communications services with an on-orbit Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite.
Northrop Grumman said July 8 in a statement the demo included the antenna, a Navy Multi-band Terminal and the satellite. An AEHF satellite would allow the B-2 to send and receive battlefield information significantly faster than its current satellite system. Northrop Grumman also developed and built the B-2 for the Air Force.
“Our demo marks the first time that AESA antenna technology has been used to communicate with the AEHF network,” said Byron Chong, Northrop Grumman’s B-2 deputy program manager. “We showed that our antenna will consistently produce and maintain the high-gain beam needed to communicate with AEHF satellites.”
Chong also said, during the test Northrop Grumman successfully demonstrated extended data rate (XDR) communications between the AESA antenna and the AEHF satellite at EHF frequencies. XDR communications take advantage of the AEHF satellites’ most advanced and most secure signaling protocols and communications waveforms.
The AEHF is the Air Force’s next-generation communications satellite, providing improved global, survivable, highly secure and protected communications capabilities for strategic command and tactical warfighters. Lockheed Martin [LMT] is developing the AEHF.