NEWTOWN, Conn. - With demand for bandwidth continuing to grow, the Air Force will take delivery of a total of 10 WGS satellites. All six of the originally planned WGS satellites have been paid for and are operational. The seventh satellite is also in orbit. Three more satellites will be delivered by 2019.
The Air Force has had success gathering other countries to participate in the program. Australia has contributed funds to WGS-6, while Canada, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and New Zealand have all contributed funds toward WGS-9. In return, all of these countries will gain access to capacity from the entire system. There is some talk that the Air Force will put WGS-9 and WGS-10 into storage until a later date. However, due to support from other countries, continuing need for satellite bandwidth, and Congressional support for the WGS program, the two satellites in question are expected to be launched as planned.
As the WGS program moves toward completion, the Air Force has begun to shift its focus towards the development of a new system. Launches of WGS satellites began in 2007, meaning replacements will be needed starting in the early 2020s. The Air Force has also expressed interest in launching a three-satellite constellation to supplement WGS satellites to meet the Pentagon's ever-increasing need for bandwidth.
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