The U.S. Space Force has tapped Viasat and Intelsat to build the first two operational satellites for its Protected Tactical SATCOM – Global (PTS-G) program, a key piece of the Pentagon's effort to harden military communications against jamming.
$437.7M for Swarm-1
Announced on June 8 and detailed June 11, the two contracts together total $437.7 million and cover manufacturing, integration, test, launch and on-orbit checkout of the satellites — collectively called Swarm-1. The dual-band X/Ka spacecraft will sit in geosynchronous orbit and supply secure, anti-jam tactical communications to U.S. and allied forces.
A commercial-baseline acquisition
Space Systems Command launched PTS-G in 2025 with a $248M budget inside the broader Protected Anti-Jam Tactical SATCOM family. Last summer it issued an IDIQ vehicle with a $4B ceiling and seeded concept designs at Boeing, Viasat, Northrop Grumman, Astranis and Intelsat. "PTS-G's acquisition approach leverages commercial industry and technologies to revitalize the defense industrial base, maximize flexibility and foster enduring competition," said Lt. Col. Richard Lanser, acting program director at Space Delta 88.
Why PTS-G matters
The program is designed to take over the tactical mission from the legacy AEHF constellation while introducing a new encrypted Protected Tactical Waveform that can ride U.S., allied and commercial payloads. Viasat will deliver its dual-band mini-GEO platform with ground stations and five years of operations and sustainment services, with initial operating capability targeted no earlier than 2029.
Part of a wider space buildup
The PTS-G award follows other recent Pentagon space-tech moves, including the Spire Global – Diehl Defence missile-warning MoU at ILA Berlin and Voyager Technologies' $300M acquisition of Astrobotic. It also lands the same week Viasat shares jumped on news that the company is now anchored inside a $4B IDIQ vehicle with long-term tactical SATCOM revenue runway.
Reporting based on coverage from Orbital Today, SpaceNews and Breaking Defense.