Cobham has been awarded a $65 million contract to supply electronic systems to Boeing’s Wideband Global SATCOM satellite program. The contract funds production on three satellite flight sets, with additional options for three more sets.
Cobham Defense Electronics in Lowell, Massachusetts will supply 1000 modules for the phased array antennas on each satellite. The modules are made up of a complex power amplifier, beamformer and receive amplifier modules. The modules allow the satellite to transmit and receive communications.
“Cobham is pleased to support this critical Department of Defense program to enhance military satellite communications capability by providing the portfolio of RF modules that support additional bandwidth required by the military,” said Jill Kale, vice president of Cobham Defense Electronics. “This award reinforces our leadership role in the supply of high reliability cost effective Space qualified hardware.”
According to Boeing, the mission of the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) is to provide broadband communications connectivity for U.S. and allied warfighters around the world. WGS is the highest-capacity military communications system in the U.S. Department of Defense arsenal, providing a quantum leap in communications capability for the U.S. military.
Long lead time work on the contract started in 2010, and production began in early 2012. Work is expected to be finished in 2013 and takes place at the Lowell, Massachusetts facility, northwest of Boston.