[Satellite Today 09-16-08] Northrop Grumman Corp. has completed integrating all electronic units of the payload module for its third advanced Extremely High Frequency (EHF) military communications satellite, the company announced Sept. 16.
    Northrop Grumman said the Advanced EHF system will provide global, highly secure, protected, survivable communications for warfighters operating on
ground, sea and air platforms.
    Integrated with Lockheed Martin‘s A2100 space vehicle structure, Northrop Grumman said the payload module consists of the complete set of radio frequency, processing, routing and control hardware and software that perform the satellite’s protected communications function. The equipment reportedly includes approximately 20 electronics units and approximately 500,000 lines of software code.
    The company is currently under contract to provide three communications payloads to Lockheed Martin, the advanced EHF prime contractor, and to provide three advanced EHF satellites and a mission control system to the U.S. Air Force military satellite communications systems wing.
    Advanced EHF is the successor to the current Milstar system.

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