# Protected Tactical Service (PTS) — Program Element 1206761SF

**Program element:** 1206761SF  
**Component:** U.S. Space Force  
**Appropriation:** 3620F — RDT&E, Space Force  
**Budget Activity:** 4 — Advanced Component Development & Prototypes  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206761SF

## Summary

U.S. Space Force requests $449.4M in FY2027. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. Northrop Grumman leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 390.6 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 428.7 |
| FY2027 | Request | 449.4 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 450.8 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 326.4 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 391.2 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 389.4 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 449.4 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 449.4 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 449.4 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 449.4 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (2)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 643728 | Protected Tactical SATCOM | 308.1 | 191.9 | 299.1 | +56% |
| 643722 | Protected Tactical SATCOM - Global (PTS_G) | 82.5 | 236.8 | 150.4 | −37% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 643728 — Protected Tactical SATCOM

The Protected Tactical Satellite Communications (PTS) program is employing a multi-phase strategy to progressively and incrementally deploy prototypes with residual capabilities demonstrated in an operational environment. For the initial PTS Prototype (PTS-P) phase, USSF is utilizing FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Middle Tier of Acquisition (MTA) for Rapid Prototyping (RP) authority and Section 815, Other Transaction Authority (OTA), to achieve an affordable, rapid, operational capability for the tactical warfighter. These prototyping payloads (PTS-P) demonstrate innovative Anti-Jam (AJ) technologies with modular and scalable payloads to meet validated military needs for protected tactical communications. This includes technical baseline development, systems engineering trade analyses, internal/external system integration and development, candidate system architecture evaluations, risk reduction demonstrations, prototyping concepts development, system testing, and enabling technologies maturation. The PTS-P projects have successfully completed delivery of prototype payloads meeting program objectives and transitioned to the PTS-R/P Major Capability Acquisition pathway in 2024. Launch, on-orbit checkout, and test/training utilization of the PTS-P payloads is ongoing. The Enhanced PTS-P is an MTA-RP additional effort continuing the strategy to rapidly deliver incremental capability, accelerating Initial Operational Capability (IOC)-like delivery by two years with purpose-built "hub in space” satellites utilizing full signal processing and switching capability allowing direct connectivity between users. The PTS-Resilient (PTS-R) project will follow Enhanced PTS- P in FY28 and is intended to be a Program of Record to provide the full PTS-R CDD capability for the PTS Family of Systems (FoS), adding additional AJ and resiliency capability and further connectivity to the Protected Tactical Enterprise Service (PTES) ground segment. In a June 2025 ADM the milestone decision authority directed the program to cancel PTS-R source selection and rapidly acquire a PTS-P with enhancements as an incremental step towards the full operational capability of PTS-R. PTS-R EMD start is deferred until FY28. Pivoting effort to develop and deliver PTS capability to the Enhanced PTS-P thrust beginning in FY26.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Northrop Grumman (30.0, 10%), Boeing (24.3, 8.1%), Linquest (18.1, 6.0%), DITCO (14.1, 4.7%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PTS Prototype Design and Development | 68.6 | 24.8 | 79.0 |
| PTS Resilient | 153.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Enhanced PTS-Prototype | 28.7 | 127.3 | 166.3 |
| PTS-P/R Space Hub End Cryptographic Unit (ECU) | 12.6 | 11.3 | 9.9 |
| PTS-P/R Ground Development | 4.4 | 10.2 | 16.3 |
| PTS-P Gateway Development | 9.3 | 4.8 | 9.9 |
| Protected Tactical Testbed | 23.5 | 8.6 | 7.7 |
| Technical Baseline Management, System Integration and Test Support | 7.9 | 4.9 | 9.9 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

### Project 643722 — Protected Tactical SATCOM - Global (PTS_G)

In CY 2022 the Space Warfighting Analysis Center (SWAC) identified gaps in protected SATCOM capabilities relative to existing and planned capabilities against current and predicted user needs, with consideration of current and emerging challenges to both operating environments and system deployment. SWAC developed a Force Design (FD) to address these gaps, realigning capabilities and disaggregating mission sets. Protected Tactical SATCOM - Global (PTS-G) is a key and enabling capability of the USSF Force Design (FD) that bridges the gap between the more focused capabilities provided by Protected Tactical SATCOM - Resilient (PTS-R), and the broadly-available but also the lower assured access capabilities provided by existing / emerging MILSATCOM and commercial services. PTS-G also augments current and future warfighter capability with increased global capacity. PTS-G is a moderate degree of assured access communications across military Ka-band and X-band using a disaggregated and proliferated sets of lower-complexity satellites. Space Systems Command (SSC) will develop the PTS-G space and ground systems to provide worldwide assured-access communications for tactical warfighters. PTS-G will consist of space vehicles utilizing military Ka band and X band payloads (PTS-G-Ka and PTS-G-X), and ground infrastructure (system controller/hub with gateways), and will connect to existing Protected Tactical SATCOM Family of Systems ground infrastructure (mission management system and cryptographic key management system) developed under the PTES program, as well as integrating legacy SATCOM waveforms. PTS-G will consist of multiple satellites that can provide either X-band and/or mil Ka-band transponded capability while also supporting the utilization of the PTW Waveform. PTW modems for user terminals will be acquired by each Service and by international partners. Initially, PTS-G will provide capabilities in select regions. PTS-G will target a solution that can provide worldwide coverage. PTS-G will be interoperable with the PTES program to perform management and cryptographic key management for PTW users, but PTS-G will procure and install the associated PTES Joint Hubs and other ground infrastructure to operate the satellites, anchor the data, and perform O&S. In addition, the PTS-R system will be integrated with components of PTES and will be complementary to PTS-G.

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected Tactical SATCOM - Global (PTS-G) | 82.5 | 236.8 | 150.4 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 22% | 98.0 |
| Government labs & warfare centers | 0.7% | 3.2 |
| Other / unspecified | 77% | 348.1 |

**Top named industry performers:** Northrop Grumman ($30.0M, 6.7%), Boeing ($24.3M, 5.4%), Linquest ($18.1M, 4.0%), DITCO ($14.1M, 3.1%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

The Protected Tactical Service (PTS) program is developing, demonstrating, prototyping, and operating beyond-line-of-sight, Anti-Jam (AJ), low-probability-of-intercept satellite communications and provides the space and dedicated ground architecture required to securely transport tactical satellite communications for warfighters across the Satellite Communications (SATCOM) mission area. As a result, the Service will improve readiness and operational reach of existing force structure and provide an enduring resilient Infrastructure, equipment, and personnel.

The PTS team utilizes the FY 2016 NDAA MTA guidance for Rapid Prototyping/Rapid Fielding and Section 815 OTA guidance in developing the acquisition strategy. This strategy places an emphasis on the rapid prototyping, production, and incremental iteration of PTS capability. This strategy takes the form of a series of successively honed and tailored spirals, focusing on payload development and hosting opportunities and incorporating lessons learned from Milstar, Enhanced Polar System (EPS), EPS-Recapitalization (EPS-R), AEHF, Protected Tactical Enterprise Service (PTES), and commercial SATCOM practices.

## Related program elements

- [0603512N — Carrier Systems Development](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0603512N) (Navy)
- [0604756N — Ship Self Def (Engage: Hard Kill)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604756N) (Navy)
- [0604281F — Tactical Data Networks Enterprise](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0604281F) (Air Force)
- [1206444SF — Next-Gen OPIR Space, Block 0 Polar](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206444SF) (Space Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 1206761SF (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="1206761SF")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*