Mobile User Objective System program overview

The Navy´s ultra high frequency (UHF) Follow-On (UFO) constellation provides unprotected narrowband tactical satellite communications (SATCOM) to the Department of Defense (DoD) warfighter. The UFO constellation, initially launched in 1993, will begin to reach the end of its design life early in 2008. As executive agent for unprotected narrowband communications, the Navy must field a replacement system to the existing UFO constellation that supports current users and also provides additional capability to meet the communication needs of the future. The Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) is the Navy´s replacement system to UFO to fulfill the future needs of the warfighter. The paper provides an overview of the MUOS program, and includes a background on the unprotected narrowband SATCOM, an overview of MUOS requirements, and a summary of the MUOS acquisition strategy.