Acting as a mission partner to Mitsubishi Electric, Lockheed Martin will supply a payload designed to strengthen the satellite’s capabilities. The technology will provide interoperability with allied and partner nations while improving resistance to interference in satellite communications.
“We look forward to collaborating with Mitsubishi Electric to deliver a proven, next-generation communications capability for Japan,” said Jeff Schrader, vice president of Strategy & Business Development at Lockheed Martin Space. “With our significant investments in advanced design and manufacturing and a focus on international growth and support of our allies, we’re bringing spacecraft solutions forward quickly to meet the needs of our global customers.”
The payload will be developed at Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Colorado, while Mitsubishi Electric will conduct final assembly, integration, and test in Japan. Once these processes are completed, the program will deliver a domestically produced defense communications satellite for geostationary orbit.
The new satellite will succeed the current operational X-band defense communications satellite. It will also expand frequency bands to meet the anticipated growth in communication demands.
Before this collaboration began, Lockheed Martin and Mitsubishi Electric signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate on geostationary defense communications satellites. The companies plan to explore further opportunities to bring additional satellites to Japan and other partner nations in the Asia-Pacific region while assessing potential partnership structures.
“With a long history of international partnerships and defense expertise, Lockheed Martin has a deep understanding of our customers’ priorities and mission needs in the Asia-Pacific region,” added Schrader. “We’re excited to offer a solution that can be used as a common payload to global partners looking for protected, anti-jamming defense satellite communications in geostationary orbit.”
