Illustration of the Arctic Broadband Satellite Mission (Image credit: Northrop Grumman)
Presented by Northrup Grumman,
Published by Breaking Defence, 28 January 2025
A groundbreaking partnership between Space Norway, the U.S. Space Force (USSF), Space Systems Command (SSC), Northrop Grumman, Viasat, and the Norwegian Armed Forces is redefining satellite communications in the Arctic, or the “High North,” marking a significant milestone in delivering critical military and commercial communications to one of the most hard-to-reach locations on Earth.
The Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission (ASBM), launched on August 11, 2024, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, addresses the rapidly changing dynamics in the Arctic. As polar ice recedes, new sea lanes are opening, reshaping global trade routes and intensifying the region’s strategic significance. This shift has brought the High North to a new level of competition at the top of the world, with military and commercial activities increasing dramatically.
“As military forces conduct more operations in the Arctic area—whether that is submarines, surface vessels, aircraft and drones, or land forces in cold-weather environments—the need for communications has skyrocketed,” said Troy Brashear, vice president of Northrop Grumman’s Satellite Missions. “At the same time, it’s hard to get communications up there, especially space-based communications.”
Historically, the Arctic has posed significant challenges for military operations due to its harsh climate, difficult terrain, and logistical challenges. Those problems are compounded by the limitations of traditional geostationary orbit satellites which, due to Earth’s curvature, struggle to provide full coverage at high latitudes.
Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) in the High North has been particularly impacted by the orbital limitations of the present satellite communications infrastructure. A lack of connectivity in the Arctic has also resulted in a shortage of long-range, long-endurance unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) that can operate in the high latitudes. These lead to significant gaps in the ability of the U.S. and partners to react to potential threats.
Communications for the Polar Region
To address these challenges, Northrop Grumman, in partnership with Space Norway and the USSF, developed a two-satellite constellation designed to fly in a highly elliptical orbit, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the High North. Leveraging the proven GEOStar-3 satellite bus, each satellite hosts multiple payloads, including an X-Band payload for the Norwegian Armed Forces, a Ka-Band payload for satellite communications provider Viasat, and a Norwegian radiation monitor payload developed by a Norwegian company called Integrated Detector Electronics AS (IDEAS). Together, these payloads will enhance connectivity for a wide range of activities, from air travel to shipping and fishing to allied military operations above 65 degrees North latitude.
An aspect of this mission is the USSF’s Enhanced Polar System Recapitalization (EPS-R) payload, which provides protected, anti-jam military satellite communications coverage to U.S. forces in the Arctic. Designed, built, and integrated by Northrop Grumman—which has been building protected MILSATCOM payloads for more than four decades—the EPS-R payload represents a pioneering approach to combining military and commercial capabilities on a single platform. The secure payload interface effectively isolates EPS-R from the rest of the satellite, paving the way for future hybrid military-commercial systems and significantly reducing the cost of distributing capabilities.
“This is the first time a secure U.S. government MILSATCOM payload has been integrated onto a commercial satellite, let alone with an international partner,” said Blake Bullock, vice president for Military Space Systems at Northrop Grumman. “Thanks to the vision of our international customers and the U.S. Space Force, this innovative approach not only meets critical communications needs but also significantly reduces costs.”
Enabling Collective Security in the High North
ASBM’s successful launch underscores the importance of international collaboration in addressing the unique challenges of the High North. As this region becomes increasingly contested, reliable communications across all warfighting domains—air, land, sea, space, and cyber—are more critical than ever. ASBM’s 24-hour coverage expands connectivity, including potential platforms like Northrop Grumman’s multi-intelligence MQ-4C Triton, a high-altitude, long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which could provide a strategic advantage in this vital region.
Triton, operated by the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force, is particularly well-suited for operations in the High North. Its multi-intelligence capabilities, including signals intelligence (SIGINT) and a multifunction active sensor radar, enable it to track, classify and monitor targets across vast maritime areas. Triton’s ability to operate at altitudes above 50,000 feet and cover areas up to 4.2 million square nautical miles in a single flight makes it a critical asset in the region, especially as nations like Norway seek to enhance their unmanned aerial surveillance capabilities.
“The integration of ASBM with platforms like Triton is a game-changer for Arctic operations,” said Rho Cauley Bruner, Northrop Grumman’s program director for Triton. “Triton’s high-altitude operations allow it to perform ISR missions effectively in the High North, providing essential data to support anti-submarine warfare and other strategic objectives.”
As the global demand for HALE ISR systems grows, with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Korea, Japan, the U.S., and Australia leading the way, Triton’s advanced capabilities make it the platform of choice for maritime surveillance and long-range targeting. Its survivability, range and sensor suite offer unmatched effectiveness, providing 33 percent greater coverage and 60 percent fewer flight hours compared to medium-altitude systems, all at a lower operational cost.
ASBM and Triton will cover the High North
As the High North increases in strategic importance, the U.S., Norway, and their allies will now have connectivity through ASBM, enabling future widespread ISR capabilities and serving as an important enabler for allied communications between warfighting domains.
Looking ahead, the integration of military payloads on commercial satellites sets a precedent for future partnerships, enabling the U.S. and its allies to share costs and resources more effectively. With ASBM and high-altitude multi-sensor ISR platforms, Northrop Grumman and its partners are not only meeting today’s communication demands but also paving the way for a more connected and secure future in the High North.
See: Original Article
