Northrop Grumman Initiates New Partnerships to Offer the Australian Defence Force, Advanced Satellite Communications

Northrop Grumman Corporation has partnered with ViaSat and Optus to offer the Australian Defence Force (ADF) a proven solution for its utilisation of the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) system.

Under the team's response to the ADF's tender request, Australia has the opportunity to gain access to Northrop Grumman's Satellite Communications Operations and Planning Element (SCOPE) network management system, which is the only managing, operating and monitoring system that has already been successfully integrated with the WGS. Northrop Grumman's network management system has been employed by U.S. Army Strategy Command for more than 15 years, and is critical to the successful operation of all six WGS satellites currently in orbit.

"Australia has invested approximately AU$1billion in WGS communications capabilities. Northrop Grumman's offering will give Australia the ability to fully utilise this capability at the same standard as the U.S. military," said Ian Irving, chief executive, Northrop Grumman Australia. "This program will form the core of the ADF's sovereign capability in network management. We have developed unrivaled capabilities over 15 years of working closely with the WGS program in the United States and look forward to working with the ADF to support and further develop this technology in Australia."

The team would also offer the proven performance of the ViaSat dual-band satellite terminals. ViaSat brings a long and successful history of delivering satellite communications terminals to customers in the United States and Canada, and most recently delivered 10 complete ground stations for Australia's National Broadband Network (NBN) program.

"Since 2012 ViaSat has been working with NBN Co. as the prime contractor for the NBN Long Term Satellite Service ground system, which is a very similar system to that required by the ADF" said Colin Cooper, General Manager, Government and Defence, ViaSat Australia. "No other company has our level of experience in delivering large satellite ground stations in remote regions of Australia."

The team would also offer the unrivaled Australian satellite operating experience of Optus. "We are pleased to be part of the Northrop Grumman team's bid to deliver this important capability to the Australian Defence Force," said Paul Sheridan, Vice President of Optus Satellite. "Optus has been successfully operating Australian satellites for over three decades. Optus' long term relationship with the ADF through our C1 satellite positions us well to complement the team's impressive capabilities moving forward."

The Northrop Grumman-led team offers the ADF a comprehensive, mature and proven solution which will allow Australia to take full advantage of its investment in the world-leading WGS network.