Boeing wins $2B Space Force contract for 2 new MUOS satellites

WASHINGTON ― The Space Force has chosen Boeing over original contractor Lockheed Martin to build two more Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) narrow-band communications satellites, Space Systems Command (SSC) announced today.

The $2 billion contract covers “development, delivery, system integration and on-orbit test support” of the two new birds under SSC’s two-year MUOS Service Life Extension competition, according to the SSC release. Set to be launched “no earlier” than 2031 and 2032, according to the release, the new satellites will bring the MUOS constellation up to seven satellites total. Lockheed Martin built the first five MUOS satellites.

MUOS provides secure ultra-high frequency satellite communications to the US military services and those of allies, in particular to naval forces. Responsibility for the program was transferred from the US Navy to the Air Force in 2019 and subsequently to the Space Force.

Boeing and Lockheed Martin in 2024 each won a $66 million Phase 1 design contract under the MUOS Service Life Extension program. The Space Force at the time expected to launch the two new satellites in 2030.

According to the SSC release, the new satellites will allow the MUOS constellation to continue operating until 2035. The service’s fiscal 2026 budget includes $415 million in research and development for MUOS, and almost $50 million in procurement. The FY27 R&D request is for $856 million, with a total of $2.6 billion through 2031. Another $51 million is slated for procurement in FY27, with a total of $265 million through 2031.

Meanwhile, the Space Force since mid-2023 has been working on a long-range strategy that would see transferring some or all of the narrowband communications mission to commercial providers.