What project 643728 buys
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.
- Product Development
- Management Services
Project 643728 funding, FY2025–FY2031
Prior years are actuals, the budget year is the request, and the outyears are the FYDP plan. Estimate types are colored and never summed into one figure. Projects carry the full five-year plan; the activities inside them stop at the budget year.
| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 308.1 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 191.9 |
| FY2027 | Request | 299.1 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 338.2 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 293.2 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 378.0 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 389.4 |
8 accomplishments / planned programs
The R-2A exhibit — the only level of the budget that describes work that has not happened yet. Activities carry the prior, current and budget year only, no five-year plan. 3 of them describe FY2027 work in enough detail to have their own page; the rest are shown here in full. Coverage is partial across the corpus, so count activities, never total them.
Continue the development of the PTS-P Enhanced space vehicle. Conduct a CDR event for the space vehicle leveraging previous PTS-P technology maturation. Initiate the manufacturing, build, and test phase of the satellite development by building both payload and bus components and begin integration with long lead items. Conduct modeling…
Read the FY2027 plan →Complete free flyer PTS prototype space vehicle to launch vehicle integration and provide launch support activities. Support satellite initial checkout for both PTS prototype vehicles and complete all post-launch On-Orbit Demonstration and Test (OODT) activities and support. Continue supporting existing PTS-P payloads with payload…
Read the FY2027 plan →Support the OODT of both PTS-P payloads that launch in FY26. Perform bulk of the development of PTES interface tools by the PTES prime contractor. As PTES interface tools mature, transition PTS-Prototypes from simulators and offline planning tool that enabled manual mission management during OODT activities. Initiate integration efforts…
Read the FY2027 plan →FY2027 planned work Conclude development of Enhanced PTS-P ECU. Complete key documentation for NSA certification and advance through critical stages of the process. Conduct quick-action troubleshooting and deficiency resolution for PTS-P ECU contractor during on-orbit demonstration and test (OODT) activities for PTS prototypes. Finalize ECU engineering development models and deliver to payload provider to support early integration and testing. Deliver a new software version to resolve discrepancies identified in SHIELD prototypes. Complete an updated computer board for production representative assemblies and incorporate changes to address parts obsolescence. Conduct various testing for elements such as…
FY2026 to FY2027 change Decrease due to completion of software development and ECU obsolescence design.
FY2026 plans — current year Initiate the NSA engineering change process for Enhanced PTS-P ECUs and support the NSA delta certification process. Update ECU parts obsolescence to support the Enhanced PTS-P development and build. Develop ECU engineering development models for FY27 delivery to payload provider to support early integration and testing.
FY2027 planned work Continue to manage and test key system interfaces for PTS Ground, Space, and Gateway Segments as well as tactical SATCOM family of systems ground and terminal segments to reduce integration risks. Complete launch integration activities to include SV to LV coordination for the two PTS-P payloads. Continue to provide test support for two PTS prototype payloads while performing the necessary technical modifications to obtain early use. Continue to provide integration and test planning for Enhanced PTS-P. Continue interface tests between the PTS prototype and emulators/simulators to reduce risk to protected tactical family of systems level integration with PTES. Rapidly respond to implement…
FY2026 to FY2027 change Increase due to delay of PTS-P launches to FY27 and increased effort to support Enhanced PTS-P development and test.
FY2026 plans — current year Continue to manage and test key system interfaces for PTS Ground, Space, and Gateway Segments as well as tactical SATCOM family of systems ground and terminal segments to reduce integration risks. Continue to provide SV integration and test support for two PTS prototype payloads. Support contracting modification efforts to enable early use operations for the prototype payloads. Define the technical baseline and interface requirements for the Enhanced PTS-P payload. Continue interface tests between the PTS prototype and emulators/simulators to reduce risk to protected tactical family of systems level integration with PTES. Support launch integration activities, to include SV to LV…
FY2027 planned work Relocate two PGET-Ps from test site to OCONUS sites. Complete PGET-P operation checkup and integration with PTS-P payload. Procure two additional PGETs including antennas and a digital core for the Enhanced PTS-P space vehicle. Complete PGET-P integration and test with available modems (one A3M and possibly one WAMS if available for each PGET-P). Support Enhanced PTS-P early integration tests. Prepare ground locations for PGET installation to be utilized by the Enhanced PTS-P space vehicle at multiple OCONUS operational sites.
FY2026 to FY2027 change Increase due to procurement of two additional PGETs in support of Enhanced PTS-P.
FY2026 plans — current year Continue support to the PTS-P payload integration and test. Complete PGET-P integration and pre-launch systems checkout at test sites. Prepare OCONUS sites for relocation and installation of PGET-P to include site survey, establish Memorandum of Agreement, and coordinate with civil engineering.
FY2027 planned work Continue developing, enhancing, and integrating the PTW Testbed across hub and terminal segments to support multi-Service testing, fielding, and early operations of Protected Tactical Waveform (PTW) over DoW and commercial constellations in GEO, MEO, and HEO orbits and to ensure compatibility and interoperability among all segments. Continue to develop the PTW Testbed's Key Management System (KMS) prototype to support of the development and integration of the operational PTW KMS across all segments. Deploy, support, and maintain PTW Testbed instances across industry, government, and FFRDC facilities. Distribute software and hardware updates to PTW Testbed instances to keep PTW Testbed users…
FY2026 to FY2027 change Decrease due to realignment of engineering reviews which reduced direct testbed costs to PTS-R.
FY2026 plans — current year Continue developing, enhancing, and integrating the PTW Testbed with ground and user terminal modem segments to support multi-Service testing, fielding, and early operations of PTS users, ensuring synchronization among all segments. Deploy, support, and maintain PTW Testbed instances across industry, government, and FFRDC facilities to aid in the development, integration, and ground testing of the PTS-Prototype system in preparation for launch. Support Enhanced PTS-P technical design reviews(delta PDR) and planned progress demonstrations to reduce integration risks. Distribute Testbed software and hardware updates to industry and government users to support development and integration of…
Named performers on project 643728
Performers named in the R-3 exhibit under this project. Share is of the project's whole FY2027 R-3 total — the same denominator the program-element split uses, so the two read on one scale and will not sum to 100% when unnamed or government work is in the mix. Budget-justification contract funding, not obligations.