SUNNYVALE, Calif., April 4 (UPI) -- Development of the U.S. Navy Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) has successfully passed the critical design review (CDR) phase.
The CDR review took place at Lockheed Martin's facility in Silicon Valley and confirmed that the proposed design for the satellite system works as expected.
"The MUOS team has worked extremely hard for the past two and a half years to present a complete design that meets all of the operational key performance parameters," said Navy Capt. David Porter, program manager for the Communications Satellite Program Office. "Particularly noteworthy is the fact that the CDR was successfully completed on the schedule laid out 30 months ago and within budget."
The MUOS is scheduled to go into service with the Navy in 2010 and will boost the narrow-band communications capabilities of military units. The system will eventually replace the aging UFO (ultra-high frequency follow-on) satellite system currently in operation.
Lockheed designed the system to provide third-generation wireless communications that include voice, video and high-speed data. Lockheed is developing the system in concert with General Dynamics and Boeing and is under contract for the first two MUOS satellites plus ground components.
