NUDET Detection System (SPACE)

Mission — Nuc Detonation Det Sys (sensors) source

Universal Ground NDS Terminal (UGNTs) 7 modernization effort, a FY26 new start, is the USG's only Survivable/Endurable (S/E) system capable of processing United States Nuclear Detonation (NUDET) data from the next-gen NDS payloads on GPS IIIF. Obsolete hardware and software will be replaced within the UGNT trailers. Integrated Correlation and Display Systems (ICADS 7) will be installed on the system enabling UGNT to be fully mission capable (FMC) and to download nuclear detonation data from GPS IIIF satellites enabling DoD and COCOM decision makers to have near-real time decision quality data for nuclear force management in support of the NC3 mission set. The NUDET Detection System (USNDS) provides a near real-time worldwide, highly survivable/endurable capability to detect, locate, and report any nuclear detonations in the earth's atmosphere or in near space. USNDS supports NUDET detection requirements across five mission areas: Integrated Tactical Warning and Attack Assessment (ITW/AA), Nuclear Force Management (NFM), Space Control, Treaty Monitoring, and a classified mission. The USNDS program is jointly sponsored and funded by the Department of Defense (DoD), through the Space Force, and the Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and its Nuclear Detonation Detection (NA-22) office, respectively. NNSA/NA-22 supplies USNDS space sensors as Government Furnished Equipment to the Space Force's USNDS Program Office, which is responsible for all acquisition and Systems Engineering, Integration and Test activities on Space Vehicles (SVs), to include Global Positioning System (GPS) and additional hosts, and their supporting ground control segments. The AF directly funds the development of the USNDS ground segment (described below). DoD funds their contribution to the USNDS program in Program Element 1203913SF, Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Space Force (RDT&E, SF), Procurement, Space Force, and Operations and Maintenance. USNDS consists of space sensors and complex ground segments. The space segment sensors, funded by DOE, consists of three nuclear detection sensor payloads: the Radiation Detection Capability (RADEC) payload for Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites, the Global Burst Detection (GBD) payload for Medium Earth Orbit platforms (GPS satellites), and the Space Atmospheric Burst Reporting System (SABRS) payload for Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) platforms (classified GEO host), and Space Test Platform 3. Together, these sensors and associated communications capability provided by the host satellites comprise the global NUDET space segment detection capability for the USNDS. Space sensors communicate NUDET indications to the fixed ground segment, the RADEC Data Processor, and the Integrated Correlation and Display System (ICADS), the five deployable mobile ground segment survivable Ground Nuclear Detonation Detection System Terminals (GNTs), and the survivable/endurable UGNTs, when operationally accepted. The ground segment provides ground receiving analysis and reporting capabilities to national authorities, commands, and forward users as well as Department of State for the Treaty Monitoring and Verification mission. The ground control segment is being modernized and continuously improved through an incremental, evolutionary acquisition approach. The upgrades to the GNTs are the survivable/endurable UGNT which are funded with RDT&E in this program. The UGNT provides NUDET Detection Reports to end users through survivable/endurable USNDS communications via MilStar/Future Communication Systems (FCS)/Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) circuits. The GNT supports ITW/AA and NFM missions. The UGNT program modifies the baseline of the GNT subsystem and deploys as an integral part of the Space Based Infrared System Survivable (SBIRS) / Endurable Evolution (S2E2) Mobile Ground System (MGS) (SMGS) units also in support of ITW/AA and NFM. The UGNT, when integrated with the SMGS, will perform NUDET event processing with fused NDS data from GPS and DSP. SMGS capability refers to the result of the S2E2 upgrade program for the MGS mission processing capability, including the integration of UGNT. The intended end state of UGNT integration is delivery of enhanced NUDET detection capabilities which meet survivable/endurable attack assessment requirements directed by the President, Secretary of Defense, Joint Staff, USSPACECOM, and USSTRATCOM, delivering long-term, cost effective, multi-role, multi-mission space effects to warfighters across the range of military operations. ICADS 7 upgrades the ICADS 6 baseline necessary to process future GPS IIIF satellites GBD USNDS messages, address technology obsolescence, and meet updated cybersecurity requirements for system resiliency. Universal Ground NDS Terminal (UGNTs) 7 are a component of the S2E2 Force Package (FPAK). UGNT upgrades will be of the S2E2 system. The UGNT hardware and software (ICADS 6) requires an upgrade to be compatible with GPS IIIF satellites. USNDS detect, identify, locate, and report nuclear detonations in earth's atmosphere or near-space in near real time from peacetime through nuclear conflict. UGNTs provide mobile S/E NUDET reporting capability. USNDS has five missions per operational requirement document (ORD); ITW/AA, Space Control, Nuclear Force Management, Treaty Monitoring & Classified Mission. UGNT 7 is dependent on firm CONOPS being established. This budget line includes systems engineering, research and development, on-orbit and field testing and end-to-end verification of USNDS space sensors, ground analysis and reporting systems in support of the five USNDS mission areas. Sensor integration for GPS III and GPS III Follow-on (IIIF) are funded in their respective programs. This program may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver NUDET Detection System (SPACE) weapon system capability. The use of such program funds is in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in programs 1206392SF and 1206398SF. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Accomplishments & Planned Programs (2)