Lockheed Concludes On-Orbit Test of Sixth AEHF Military Comms Satellite

Lockheed Martin wrapped up on-orbit testing activities for the sixth Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite five months after the U.S. Space Force launched the system into orbit to support global military communications.

AEHF-6 was built to join nine other satellites that will be part of the AEHF-MILSTAR constellation and help U.S. and allied forces transmit data when they perform air, sea and ground missions, the company said Tuesday.

Erik Daehler, director of Lockheed's protected communications mission area, said that spacecraft met all performance requirements during the OOT phase.

“We are on track for satellite control authority handover to Space Operations Command before the end of the year,” Daehler added.

Military personnel in Australia, the Netherlands, Canada and the U.K. also use the AEHF system.