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Lockheed Martin announced that it has successfully completed on-schedule the critical design review phase of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) program and is beginning production of the next generation military communications satellite system. AEHF is the successor to the Milstar system and will provide global, highly secure, protected, survivable communications for war fighters in all services within the Department of Defense. AEHF will deliver 10 times greater capacity and channel data rates six times higher than that of Milstar II communications satellites. The AEHF system will feature several state-of-the-art technologies, including a sophisticated payload and phased array antennas provided by Northrop Grumman Space Technology, Redondo Beach, CA, and an electric propulsion system, provided by Aerojet, Sacramento, CA. Lockheed Martin’s A2100 design will serve as the AEHF spacecraft bus. The Mission Control Segment, being led by Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems and Solutions, Valley Forge, PA, will feature distributed communication planning, modernized commanding and high fidelity simulation.