Printed from https://fiscalreceipts.com/program/1206855SF/ — data as of July 28, 2026. Every figure is citation-backed; see the page online for per-number provenance.
Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS)
Budget Figures
FY2026 award data is a partial year — USASpending awards are reported on a rolling basis and the fiscal year does not close until September 30. why partial FY2026 data? →
- FY24
- $473.6M
- FY25
- $918.6M
- FY26
- $1.23B
● actuals (line) · ○ enacted · ◇ request — gaps are editions the program is absent from, never interpolated.
| Series | FY19 | FY20 | FY21 | FY22 | FY23 | FY24 | FY25 | FY26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actuals | $0 | $0 | $69.0M | $166.2M | $491.5M | $473.6M | ||
| Enacted | – | $0 | $71.4M | $172.1M | $519.0M | $632.8M | $918.6M | |
| Request | – | – | $71.4M | $160.1M | $565.6M | $632.8M | $1.05B | $1.23B |
blank = series not published for this year; – = absent from that edition.
Asked vs spent: the PB2024 book requested $632.8M for FY2024; the PB2026 book reports $473.6M actually spent — $159.2M below the request.
Program Lineage
No predecessor/successor lineage was recorded for this program element — no FY-to-FY transfer into or out of this line was stated in the ingested J-books, and none was inferred from the program structure.
Description
Mission — Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS)
ESS is the backbone for Joint All Domain Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3). The system will replace Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) Strategic Satellite Communications (SATCOM) services to provide global, integrated, survivable, resilient, and dynamic ground and satellite communications for assured strategic capabilities across the conflict continuum. The ESS program underwent a resiliency architecture shift to address emerging sophisticated threats and to ensure strategic SATCOM capabilities are available to the National Command Authority (NCA), Combatant Commanders, and joint warfighters in any potential future conflict. It will provide the only arctic DoD strategic communication capability across the joint enterprise, and will provide worldwide secure, jam-resistant communications for strategic ground, sea, and air assets. ESS will support existing strategic user terminals in all operational environments. ESS is acquired and developed in several parallel efforts to accelerate delivery of capability to warfighters by the strategic need date in FY 2032. The ESS System includes a Space Segment (ACAT-I), Ground, User, and Integration Segment (ACAT-I equiv), and a Crypto Segment (ACAT-III). The Space Segment is converting to a Major Capability Acquisition (MCA) from a Middle-Tier Acquisition (MTA) in FY 2025. The Ground Segment, also known as GRIFFON - Ground Resilient Integration & Framework for Operational NC3, is comprised of the Ground Integration and Framework (GIF), System of Systems Integration (SoSI), and Mission Software Applications. This enables a resilient and modular cybersecure architecture that bridges the gap between modern software best practices and legacy user terminal capability. The GIF/SoSI is leveraging Software Acquisition Pathway Other Transactional Authority for rapid prototyping of ground software. The ESS Ground Framework creates the cybersecure software development, integration, and operational environments utilizing agile Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) principles and onboards hosted external mission applications and services. The SoSI ensures all ESS segments that are acquired in parallel, in addition to external entities, work together to accomplish the mission. Additional mission-unique capabilities, like In-Band Command and Control (C2), Out-of-Band C2, Strategic Mission Planning, Test, Evaluation, Training, and other similar mission capabilities will be acquired modularly as applications that will be hosted on the ESS Ground Framework. The Crypto Segment is focused on the development, integration and testing of National Security Agency (NSA)-certified End-Cryptographic Units (ECUs) that are required for secure strategic communications encryption in the ESS payloads, bus, and test terminals. The modular acquisition approach allows the program to avoid "vendor lock” in all segments and creates opportunities for industry competition and teaming with small innovative non-traditional partners for the Ground Segment on the Space Enterprise Consortium (SpEC) Other Transactional Authority (OTA). SpEC requires ESS ground segment primary contractors that are developing software to utilize small businesses for a significant portion of the prototyping work, allowing the program to integrate innovative best practices, increase agility, reduce costs and development lifecycles, while also expanding the resilient and strategic SATCOM capabilities. The ESS system adheres to NC3 classification requirements. ESS will meet the requirements for strategic communications and capability gaps identified in the Protected Satellite Communications Services (PSCS) Analysis of Alternatives (AoA), the Protected Follow-on for Resiliency (PAFR) Study and the Strategic Tiger Team. The ESS architecture and functionality will be designed in accordance with the United States Space Command's signed ESS Concept of Operations and the Joint Requirements Oversight Council's validated Capability Development Document (CDD) satisfying the legacy Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) strategic requirements and mission performance with enhancements for increased resiliency and cybersecurity. The ESS system will satisfy emerging requirements using modular open system approaches to support incremental enhancements. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver ESS weapon system capability. The use of such program funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 1206392SF, 1206398SF. This effort is in Budget Activity 4, Advanced Component Development and Prototypes (ACD&P), because efforts are necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative modes or prototype systems in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment.
Justification
Accomplishments & Planned Programs (4)
Space Segment Prototyping
Invest in technology and demonstrations that enable continued development of a modernized, strategic payload and other key technology prototypes, risk reduction, and space segment design utilizing competitive rapid-prototyping contracts. Enables long-term return on investment through an energized Strategic SATCOM industrial base, increased competition, promotion of innovation by driving diverse designs, and increased resiliency. Actively manage contractors through prototyping, demonstration and requirements/criteria needed for contractors to competitively bid on the ESS space segment Build, Integration and Test (I&T) and Delivery follow-on.
Space Development and Production
Space Development and Production builds upon the 4+ Years of Space Segment Prototyping and delivers the next generation of NC3 Strategic SATCOM to the warfighter. The ESS Space Development and Production contract will design, develop, build, test, and deliver resilient, cybersecure space vehicles that ensure communications through all warfighting environments. This effort will initiate the non-recurring engineering for the development and production of Space Vehicles 1- 4 in order to achieve IOC by 2032 and continuing through FOC.
End-Cryptographic Unit (ECU)
Develop and deliver the NSA-certified ECUs required for secure strategic communications encryption in the ESS payloads, bus, and payload test terminals in accordance with the approved ECU acquisition strategy and schedule. Upon development completion, production ECU units will be delivered as government-furnished equipment (GFE) for integration and testing with the ESS payloads and payload test terminals.
Ground Resilient Integration & Framework for Operational NC3 (GRIFFON)
GRIFFON is the Ground Segment solution for ESS. It includes ESS Ground Integration and Framework (GIF), SoSI, and software application development efforts. GRIFFON software applications include mission planning, command and control (both in-band and out-of-band) along with other architecture activities required to support the ESS Space Segment, system operators, strategic users, and joint Combatant Commands (COCOMs).
Budget Line Items(workbook-cited)
Exhibit R-1
| Account | Org | Type | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Space Force | F | FY24 Actuals | $473.6M |
| Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Space Force | F | FY25 Enacted | $918.6M |
| Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Space Force | F | FY25 Total | $918.6M |
| Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Space Force | F | FY26 Disc. Request | $1.23B |
| Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Space Force | F | FY26 Total | $1.23B |
Budget Details(R-2/P-40 facts)
| Project | All Prior Years | FY24 Actuals | FY25 Total | FY26 Base | FY26 Request |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Element | $0 | $473.6M | $918.6M | $1.23B | $1.23B |
| 643725: Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS) | $0 | $473.6M | $918.6M | $1.23B | $1.23B |
No follow-the-dollar view — this program's awards haven't been crosswalked at high confidence (flows cover 17 of 1741 programs). why coverage is partial? →
Awards
No awards are linked to this program element at high confidence — the budget→award crosswalk only asserts links it can defend, and this line has none yet.
Lobbying Mentions
No Senate LDA lobbying filing in the tracked data mentions this program element by code or alias.
Program dossier
Every sentence below carries its citation — warehouse figures open the citation panel, news claims link the cached source.
Research dossiers exist for 50 of 1741 programs — the 50 largest fully J-book-detailed programs by FY2026 request. why no dossier here? →
What it is
- Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS), budget line 1206855SF, is a U.S. Space Force research-and-development program funded in the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Space Force account.
- ESS is the backbone for Joint All Domain Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3): it is designed to replace Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) strategic satellite-communications services and provide global, integrated, survivable, and resilient ground and satellite communications for the National Command Authority, Combatant Commanders, and joint warfighters.
- The program is meant to provide the only arctic Department of Defense strategic-communication capability across the joint enterprise, offering worldwide secure, jam-resistant communications for strategic ground, sea, and air assets.
- ESS is acquired in several parallel efforts to accelerate delivery by a strategic need date in FY 2032, comprising a Space Segment, a Ground/User/Integration Segment, and a Crypto Segment; the Space Segment is converting from a Middle-Tier Acquisition to a Major Capability Acquisition in FY 2025.
- The Ground Segment, known as GRIFFON (Ground Resilient Integration & Framework for Operational NC3), includes the Ground Integration and Framework, System of Systems Integration, and mission software applications such as mission planning and command and control to support the ESS Space Segment, operators, strategic users, and joint Combatant Commands.
- The Space Development and Production effort will design, develop, build, test, and deliver resilient, cybersecure space vehicles, initiating the non-recurring engineering for Space Vehicles 1 through 4 to reach Initial Operational Capability by 2032 and continue through Full Operational Capability.
- A dedicated End-Cryptographic Unit (ECU) effort develops and delivers NSA-certified units required for secure strategic-communications encryption in the ESS payloads, bus, and payload test terminals, to be provided as government-furnished equipment.
Why it matters
- The program's total funding grows from $918,581 thousand in FY2025 to $1,229,929 thousand (about $1.23 billion) requested for FY2026.
- That is a year-over-year increase of $311,348 thousand (roughly $311 million) from FY2025 to FY2026.
- In FY2024 the program recorded actual spending of $473,622 thousand (about $474 million), so the FY2026 request is more than two-and-a-half times its FY2024 execution level.
- The entire FY2026 request of $1,229,929 thousand is discretionary funding; there is no reconciliation (mandatory) component in this program element.
- Essentially all of the program's money flows through a single named project, Evolved Strategic SATCOM (ESS), funded at about $1,229.9 million in the FY2026 budget year.
- The same ESS project was funded at about $918.6 million in the current year (FY2025) and about $473.6 million in the prior year (FY2024), tracing the program's steep ramp as development accelerates.
- The FY2026 request funds Space Segment prototyping, including technology and demonstrations that enable continued development of a modernized strategic payload using competitive rapid-prototyping contracts intended to energize the strategic-SATCOM industrial base and increase competition and resiliency.
Key players
- The program is run by the U.S. Space Force, with funding drawn from the Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Space Force appropriation.
- The program's mission narrative identifies ESS as the backbone for Joint All Domain Nuclear Command, Control and Communications (NC3), serving the National Command Authority, Combatant Commanders, and joint warfighters as the replacement for AEHF strategic SATCOM services.
- End-cryptographic units for the program are described as NSA-certified, indicating a National Security Agency role in certifying the encryption devices delivered as government-furnished equipment for the ESS payloads and payload test terminals.