WGS Space Systems Resiliency Upgrade
The Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) System provides the Department of War (DoW) with high data rate military satellite communication (MILSATCOM) services in accordance with the Joint Space Management Board-approved MILSATCOM architecture (August 1996), the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC)-approved MILSATCOM Capstone Requirements Document (October 1997), and JROC-approved WGS Operational Requirements Document (May 2000). Dual-frequency WGS satellites augment, then replace the DoW's Defense Satellite Communications System X-band service and augment one-way Global Broadcast Service Ka-band capabilities. In addition, WGS provides a high capacity two-way Ka-band Service. This program was originally conceived to augment the near-term "bandwidth gap" in warfighter communications needs but it remains to be the DoW's primary wideband system. WGS has 10 operational legacy satellites and WGS-11 and WGS-12 (WGS-11 & 12) are in development as the first modern digital payloads using commercial technologies providing more coverage beams than their existing WGS predecessors combined and delivering twice the operational capacity than previous WGS analog satellites. Funding for this effort supports the advanced capabilities for WGS-11 & 12 under development for launch in FY 2026 and FY 2027, respectively. Project 657107, WGS Space Systems Resiliency Upgrade, enables the WGS ground system, Global SATCOM Configuration Control Element (GSCCE), to control both WGS-11 and WGS-12 satellites from one control site, clearing the way for WGS-12 to join the constellation. In May 2024, the DoW Chief Information Office endorsed re-direction of Beam Optimization & Operational Management (BOOM) funds towards GSCCE modernization. In FY2026 the program will restart WGS-BOOM. The objective of the WGS-BOOM effort is for the development, integration, and test of advanced beam management to enhance WGS-11 & 12 baseline beam management tools in support of rapid planning and control. This effort will develop and deploy capabilities across the WGS enterprise to provide WGS-11 & 12 management and control (M&C) ground enhancements with responsive end-to-end mission planning, protection, and terminal synchronized capabilities.
FY2026 to FY2027 change Decrease due to completion of a one time add in FY26 to address minimum viable WGS ground enhancement BOOM Modernization.
FY2026 plans — current year Continue to build upon previous BOOM-PCMS development effort. PCMS will be fully deployed across the globe to provide superior situational awareness of user resource usage and automated configuration capability to restore users. Activities may include, but are not limited to program office support, studies, technical analysis, experimentation, risk reduction, prototyping, and activities that may leverage commercial, U.S. Government partnership, and international opportunities to respond to existing and emerging adversarial threats with speed and agility.