BAE Systems to head up next phase of DARPA satellite research

BAE Systems will lead a team of companies in the next development phases of the Novel Satellite Communications program.

The $10.3 million contract with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency might be worth as much as $14.3 million, if all options are exercised, the company said.

Novel Satellite Communications will protect uplink signals to satellites against hostile jamming using advanced signal processing techniques to enable uninterrupted communications.

BAE Systems will lead a team of 10 companies. The team will perform work in Nashua and Merrimack, N.H.; Wayne, N.J.; Arlington and Fairfax, Va.; Germantown, Md.; San Diego, Los Angeles and Redondo Beach, Calif.; Lexington, Mass.; and West Lafayette, Ind..

"The protection that the Novel Satellite Communications technologies afford our communications satellites will ensure that our war fighters have the situational awareness they need," said Dr. Michael Zatman, the DARPA program manager for NSC.

BAE Systems led the initial effort, sponsored by DARPA, to provide testing and proof of concept of new Novel Satellite Communications algorithms and communication techniques. The company also was one of three contractor teams leading the recently completed Phase 2 efforts to progress toward increasingly realistic satellite scenarios and future field demonstrations.

Phase 3 will mature the NSC algorithm suite, design a real-time demonstration system and develop initial technology transition plans. The full system demonstration with existing satellites will be conducted during Phase 4.

BAE Systems has 45,000 employees worldwide and had annual sales of $10 billion in 2006. The company ranks No. 11 on Washington Technology's 2006 Top 100 list of the largest federal IT contractors.