Defence takes a low-risk approach to sovereign satellite capability

Communication satellites provide secure, high bandwidth capacity but there are a few problems associated with current arrangements, most notably that the C-1 satellite is running out of life and will be decommissioned later this decade

Launch of the 10th satellite in the WGS constellation in 2019. Picture: Tech Sgt Andrew Satran (US Air Force)

Communication satellites perform a vital military function, enabling contact to be maintained with forces almost wherever they are deployed.

They provide secure, high- bandwidth capacity that is very reliable, and these services come from several providers. The most important of these are defence payloads on the Optus C1 commercial satellite, coupled with access to the US wideband global SATCOM (WGS) constellation.

There are a few problems associated with current arrangements, most notably that the C1 satellite is running out of life and will be decommissioned later this decade.

The same is true for the older satellites in the WGS network but the main problem is not age but that the network is owned by the US, and there are some circumstances in which Australian priority access might not be guaranteed. In addition, Defence can access a variety of commercial services, but depending on the level of demand at the time they can be very expensive.

Defence has sought to tackle these problems with the development of a dedicated sovereign Australian military satellite program, JP9102, funding for which is estimated at being in the $2-$3bn range — with some industry sources saying $7bn — during the next decade.

This is within a larger Defence space spending envelope to 2030 of $11.5bn, so there seems to be plenty of funding available to build, launch and operate Australia’s own satellite network.

The local space sector is booming, with a number of companies already producing leading-edge components and subsystems for satellites, as well as sensors, ground infrastructure and — in the near future — rockets with the capacity to place small satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO).

A number of analysts are confident that, if all this local talent is harnessed, there is no reason the goal of a sovereign capability cannot be achieved. There are plenty of examples of countries with economies similar to Australia’s that have numerous military satellites of their own, including South Korea and Israel. However, the reaction of Australian industry to the release of the JP9102 tender has been underwhelming.

It seems that rather than attempt to bring local industry together, Defence prefers an approach whereby the solution will be provided by a large prime from one of the Five Eyes countries. Not for the first time, there appears to be a gap between the political rhetoric about sovereign capability — which is very enthusiastic and very helpful — and the hard reality of what the contract will compel industry to produce.

It seems that what Defence wants are large, classic communications satellites in geostationary orbit. There is nothing wrong with that, but the real growth is occurring in low and medium Earth orbiting constellations.

To get a heavy satellite 36,000km above Earth to a geostationary position requires a huge and expensive rocket — and once there by definition represents a single point of failure. Should it be jammed or otherwise attacked, or even experience a technical failure, the ADF will have lost a large part of its communications capacity.

Alternately, if Defence were to invest in a series of small satellites in LEO, this would be a less expensive way to go and would also be a far more resilient approach, because the loss of a single platform out of many would only slightly degrade overall capacity. Think of it as an Australian proprietary Iridium constellation.

In addition, replacement satellites could be launched quickly, restoring or even increasing the strength of the network — something that could prove vital during a time of crisis.

One of the leading Australian space companies, Canberra-based Electro Optic Systems (EOS) — which has been supplying world-leading space components since the 1980s — had been considering the possibility of acting as a prime contractor for JP9102 but will instead work with an overseas supplier.

Chief executive for EOS Communications Systems Glen Tindall explained that the history of ADF satellite communications has not been free of technical challenges and delays, speculating that the current cautious approach is the result of previous experiences.

He said that the current approach favoured a single large prime that would be selected not only to build and launch the satellites, but to maintain the system.

“It is slightly disappointing that there hasn’t been a lot of room made for Australian local involvement,” Tindall says.

“While there has been a lot of prior discussion about the importance of local industry content, that isn’t apparent in the documentation.

“Defence are taking the approach that they want well-qualified, off-the-shelf material.”

While it isn’t the role of Defence to foster the local satellite industry — that is a job for the Australian Space Agency —– it seems more could have been done to develop sovereign satellite capability.

Instead, Australia will once again be relying on international partners, over which there will be only limited control.