First-Ever Space-to-Ground Link-16 Connection
We are pros in the planning, organization and execution of major international test campaigns to demonstrate space capabilities for critical support to Department of Defense (DOD) operations in terrestrial, maritime and air domains.
These demonstrations included test strategy and plan development, multi-vendor and government coordination, communications planning, logistics support, configuration management, test execution, data collection & analysis, and reporting to both SDA senior leadership and outside agencies.
Link 16 is the tactical data link that currently connects U.S. and allied aircraft, ships and weapons systems, but is currently limited to several hundred nautical miles’ line-of-sight; providing satellites to carry these signals opens the door to global coverage for warfighters.
From February 2023 to March 2024, SES managed the successful test to connect Link-16 signals from SDA satellites in low earth orbit to ground-based radios. This first-of-its-kind demonstration and technological breakthrough proved the feasibility of using DoD communications satellites to link sensors and shooters across land, sea, air and space into the Pentagon’s Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) network.
SES served as the test lead for the Agency, responsible for successful planning, execution and reporting of the test, including leading all formal test readiness reviews. SES also managed all ground-based risk reduction and integration events to validate the readiness of the satellite vendor’s command and control center and the international ground station, spanning a six-month period prior to successful on-orbit testing. For more information, visit: sda.mil
