The US military is finalizing a commercial satellite communications pilot program

The U.S. military has completed a year-long pilot project exploring outsourcing satellite communications services to private companies, but the long-term future of such arrangements remains unclear. As part of the pilot project, the Army selected satellite communications operators Intelsat and SES to provide “satellite communications as a managed service,'' a model in which the provider performs all satellite communications functions — from equipment setup and maintenance to network management and technical support — through subscription. contract based. 

The project, officially completed on September 30, is now raising questions about whether the Defense Department will increase its reliance on commercial satellite communications providers for long-term military communications needs.

David Broadbent, president of Intelsat Government Solutions, said that while the pilot program demonstrated the effectiveness of managed services, it remains to be seen whether the Army will fully adopt the model for future satellite communications (satcom) purchases.

«The current the approach to acquiring satellite communications is inefficient, — said Broadbent on October 14. — This model of managed services — the way to the future”.

He added that the 12-month trial showed how commercial suppliers can offer the latest equipment and customer service. Intelsat's managed network, for example, has combined its Flex service for geostationary (GEO) satellite communications with commercial low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services, covering 10 different locations in a variety of weather and terrain conditions, from extreme cold to high humidity.

Satcom contract is 'terminating'

Today, military satellite communications is “very fragmented,'' Broadbent explained, with multiple vendors involved in maintaining terminals, ground stations and satellite services, creating inefficiencies and slowing deployment times. "The pilot program demonstrated that Army organizations can acquire satellite communications services under a single contract, managing the entire service end-to-end.

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According to Broadbent, the feedback from the army has been positive. "Users like it. They like the flexibility of deploying the network on demand», — he said.

The future of managed services for military satellite communications may also depend on funding. Broadbent expects future defense budgets to include funding for scaling up these services in the official program.

The completion of the pilot project comes as Intelsat and SES are in merger talks, with the two companies competing for the US Space Force satellite Extended Low Earth Orbit (PLEO) contract, which provides satellite communications services under an unlimited delivery structure /indeterminate quantity (IDIQ).

However, Broadbent noted that the PLEO contract does not offer the military the flexibility it needs because users such as the Army often prefer more control over budget and procurement processes. 

"They don’t necessarily like the idea of ​​consolidating their LEO requirements and going through the Commercial Satellite Communications Office (CSCO),&rquo;, — Broadbent said, suggesting that the type of manned multi-orbital service being tested in the pilot would likely be procured directly through Army channels rather than through a PLEO contract.

Budget hurdles and purchases

The challenges of integrating commercial satellite services into military procurement processes were discussed last week at the Potomac Officers Club's GovCon International Summit, where Broadbent pointed to inefficiencies in the defense procurement process. "It’s not necessarily set up effectively to deal with the innovation and flexibility that we really need,— he said during a panel discussion.

Jeremy Leader, deputy director of the commercial space office at the Space Systems Command, echoed some of Broadbent's concerns, stressing the need for more sustainable military communications systems that can include commercial solutions. However, one obstacle, Leader noted, is that public officials often consider commercial services redundant, given the existence of government satellites. Leader said at the GovCon event. He also suggested that military requirements should sometimes be more aligned with what the commercial market can offer, rather than expecting private companies to fully adapt their services to military specifications.