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Satnews Daily
February 2nd, 2017

NSR Reports a Resurgence of MILSATCOM Capabilities Spirited by Japan's DCN-2 Satellite


A new awakening is being recognized in the X-band realm, following Japan's first dedicated MILSATCOM satellite, the DCN-2 satellite, new players are entering the market looking to provide their own capabilities.

While NSR already covered some of the challenges in larger proprietary military satellite constellation replenishments such as “WGS 2.0” and “Skynet 6”, new ‘players’ are entering the market looking to provide their own capabilities and are recognized as such in X-(Band) Marks the Spot in Asia-Pacific
 
Japan’s DCN program is one such example of nation-states looking to provide their own capabilities.  While the DCN program uses a Public Finance Initiative (PFI) model in the same vein as the UK’s Airbus D&S owned and operated Skynet-5 constellation. Japan’s DCN program is one such example of nation-states looking to provide their own capabilities. While the DCN program uses a Public Finance Initiative (PFI) model in the same vein as the UK’s Airbus D&S owned and operated Skynet-5 constellation, the primary customer for the DCN program is the Japanese Self Defense Forces.  

Focused on delivering capacity over the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions (where Japanese Forces operate the most), the capacity will help provide additional throughput in an increasingly tense region.  Just as China is expanding their ‘blue water’ operations in the South China Sea, increasing force projection capabilities through their new aircraft carrier, building new relationships with traditional US-allies such as the Philippines, and on-going tensions between the US-China—players in the military and government satellite markets should ask is, "Are we finally going to see a ‘pivot to Asia’? 

According to NSR’s Government and Military Satellite Communications, 13th Edition, despite changing dynamics on the ground—from troop draw-downs to changing capacity pricing—the Middle East and Africa generated almost $275 Million in capacity revenues in 2015, and will increase to $360 Million annually by 2025.  Yet, the growth story for capacity revenues from Gov & Mil markets will be within Asia-Pacific.

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