Boeing wins $2 billion contract for communications satellites

The US Space Force has selected Boeing to advance the next phase of a program that will help extend and improve secure military communications. The contract award for Mobile User Objective System Service Life Extension (MUOS SLE), valued at up to USD 2 billion, includes two narrowband communications satellites that prioritize reliable voice and essential data, helping users stay connected, Boeing said in a news release.

The first satellite is scheduled to be delivered in 2031.

MUOS SLE is designed to sustain and improve a critical communications capability used by military users operating on the ground, at sea and in the air, especially in places where reliable connections are harder to maintain.

“We’re grateful for the trust the US Space Force has placed in our team for a capability that matters to military users around the world,” said Sam Greaves, vice president of Boeing Space Mission Systems. “For the people who depend on this connectivity, the need is clear: secure communication that works in demanding conditions. Our team knows this mission and is ready to help the customer extend and improve a system they count on every day.”

Boeing brings decades of experience in secure Ultra High Frequency, or UHF, communications to the program and played a key role in the current MUOS constellation by developing and delivering its payloads, the press release said.

“This award builds on our deep UHF heritage and the trust we’ve built supporting this critical national security mission,” said Ryan Reid, senior director of Space Communications Programs at Boeing. “When military users are operating in the most demanding conditions, this narrowband capability is their lifeline. By building on our active 702MP spacecraft production line, we bring immediate execution momentum, proven reliability, and schedule predictability to the US Space Force.”