(U) Commercial Satellite Communications Initiative (CSCI)

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)

Overview: (U)
(U) CSCI is a Congressionally mandated, DoD-wide program designed to reduce the long-term cost of providing surge capability to support Joint Task Force (JTF) and related missions. The program establishes a pilot network, a tool for network planning, a bandwidth management capability for leased transponders, and validates a concept to reduce DoD commercial satellite telecommunications costs by bundling of individual circuit leases and by consolidating telecommunications requirements. The program will include the ability to download information from airborne vehicles to processing centers at high data rates, and the ability to disseminate information to remote users. It will also demonstrate how to integrate commercial satellite capabilities with the Defense Information Systems Network (DISN) and Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS). Phase III of the program will involve the long-term lease of at lease 6 to 12 C- and Ku-band transponders, including MSS, and integrating all network management capabilities into the Integrated Manager Center (IMC). 

Description: (U)
(U) CSCI is a congressionally mandated, DoD pilot program based on a strategy to use leased transponders, network management, and earth terminals to satisfy non-mission essential satellite communications at cost savings. The CSCI is designed to: (1) reduce the long-term cost of providing commercial satellite communications support to all DoD customers while providing pre-positioned surge capability to support the joint task force (JTF) and related missions; and (2) introduce new information transfer services to the joint warfighter and mission support elements of the Defense Information Infrastructure (DII). 

(U) Phase I evaluated and projected DoD communications requirements and identified areas where commercial could be used to reduce costs and offload nonwarfighting communications from MILSATCOM. Study recommended the establishment of a private commercial network based on leased transponders to reduce costs, permit DoD network management, and to provide surge capability. The commercially-based private network would be used to provide DoD unprotected services and unmodified, COTS terminals would be used to minimize costs. 

(U) Phase II of the program was initiated in FY95 and involves the development of a pilot program to build a private DoD network of leased commercial band transponders for cost-efficient satisfaction of common user, JTF reserved surge, and national level requirements. The program will include the development of a tool for network planning, development of a bandwidth management capability for leased whole transponders, and validation of a concept to reduce DoD commercial satellite telecommunications cost by bundling of individual circuit leases and by consolidating telecommunications requirements on whole transponders. 

(U) The pilot program will offer a number of services that are presently not available, such as downloading high data rate information from airborne vehicles via commercial satellites to processing centers, and dissemination of information to remote users.  It demonstrate how to integrate commercial satellite capabilities with the Defense Information Systems Network (DISN) and Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS).  Phase III of the program will involve the long-term lease of at least  6 to 12 C- and Ku-Band transponders, including mobile satellite services (MSS) and integrating all network management capabilities into the Integrated Manager Center (IMC).  Although DoD is the initial user, the pilot program may be extended to include other federal agency customers.

User Impact: (U)
(U) To be supplied.

Programmatics: (U)
(U) Operational.
	(U) IOC: 01/1996 (2QFY1996).

(U) Organizations and Funding:
	(U) DoD.
		(U) Award Transponder and Bandwidth Contract- 1QFY96.
(U) Validated BMC2/Control- 1QFY97.

Related Initiatives: (U)
(U) None.

Related Requirements: (U)
(U) None.

Related Categories: (U)
(U) Leased Services

Road Map Placements: (U)
(U) MILSATCOM.

Lead Office: (U)
(U) DoD.

Date of Information: (U)
01 October 1997

(The effects of any budget/program decisions made since the information was collected during 1997-98 are NOT reflected in the National Security Space Road Map (NSSRM).)