Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has successfully completed acoustic testing of the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) military communications satellite. The Advanced EHF system will provide survivable, highly secure, protected, global communications for all warfighters serving under the U.S. Department of Defense.

During the test, the fully integrated space vehicle (SV-2) was subjected to the acoustic levels expected during launch into orbit. The successful test, conducted at Lockheed Martin's Space Systems facilities in Sunnyvale, Calif., is the last of the critical environmental test phases for SV-2 that validates the overall satellite design, quality of workmanship, and survivability of the space vehicle launch and on-orbit environment and is now the second AEHF satellite that has completed this critical test phase. With the completion of spacecraft acoustic testing, the team of Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif., the AEHF prime contractor, and Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., the payload supplier, will now perform final integrated spacecraft and system test activities necessary to prepare the vehicle for flight. The second AEHF is planned for launch in 2011 aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle. The first AEHF satellite (SV-1) is planned for a launch in 2010.

One AEHF satellite will provide greater total capacity than the entire Milstar constellation currently on-orbit. Individual user data rates will be five times improved. The higher data rates will permit transmission of tactical military communications, such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data. In addition to its tactical mission, AEHF will provide the critical survivable, protected, and endurable communications to the National Command Authority, including presidential conferencing in all levels of conflict.