The U.S. Air Force' U.S. Strategic Command has accepted command and control of its second Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) communication satellite, WGS-2. This significant achievement reflects the successful collaboration between numerous organizations, that include the Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), Air Force Space Command, Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, and The Boeing Company. The Australian Defense Force has also partnered with these organizations to provide worldwide SATCOM coverage and support to the Southwest Asia region with the WGS constellation. WGS provides flexible, high-capacity communications for marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen throughout the world. WGS is a key enabler of Command and Control, Communications Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, as well as battle management and combat support information functions. WGS-2 is the second of six planned satellites in the wideband constellation. After launching from Cape Canaveral on the evening of April 3, the Military Satellite Communications Wing at the Space and Missile Systems Center accepted delivery of WGS-2 from Boeing on June 15 after extensive ground and in-orbit testing. WGS-2 was then relocated to its final operational location. WGS and its payload configuration was optimized to support operations, and, upon the recommendations of HQ Air Force Space Command and Army Space and Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command, United States Strategic Command accepted Combatant Command authority for WGS-2 and assumed responsibility of the system from AFSPC.

WGS-2 will be operated by the 3rd Space Operations Squadron at 50th Space Wing, Schriever AFB, Colo., under the operational command of JFCC SPACE at Vandenberg. The JFCC SPACE Joint Space Operations Center will continuously monitor WGS-2's orbital safety and operational status, assisting USSTRATCOM with any performance issues. WGS-2 will bridge a critical gap in military communications supporting troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other parts of Southwest Asia. It is the first military communications satellite to provide Ka-band communications in theater, paving the way for Global Hawk and Predator remote aircraft to securely link live, down-range data back to command and control centers.