Australia and the United States have signed an agreement which will find the two nations cooperating on the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) system. This will expand this constellation to six satellites. Once operational, the WGS system will provide access to bandwidth-intensive apps, such as video streaming, teleconferencing, real-time data transmission, plus hi-res imaging. Plus, the new wideband capability will offer support for the newgen of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), such as the Global Hawks and MQ-9 Reapers. The first WGS satellite is scheduled to achieve initial operational capability in early 2008. Full operational capability is expected by 2013 after the constellation’s sixth satellite is launched.
"The US-Australia WGS partnership is another example of the strength of the alliance between our nations and the effectiveness of relationship-building and development of mutually beneficial capabilities by the USAF," said Bruce Lemkin, Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for International Affairs—Washington, D.C.
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