Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF)

Protected military communications constellationIn serviceFielded 2015Pending verification

Also known as: Advanced EHF

Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) — Photo: Courtesy photo, U.S. Department of Defense / DVIDS · Public domain, DVIDS

Fact cardConfidence · Source

System

TypeProtected military communications constellation

Alternative designationsAdvanced EHF

Date of introduction2015

ProliferationOrigin country only

Satellites6SV-1 (2010) to SV-6 (2020)Med^[1]

First launch2010Med^[1]

ContractorsLockheed Martin, Northrop GrummanMed^[1]

Program statusConstellation completed August 2020; Evolved Strategic SATCOM to replace it for nuclear C2 from the early 2030s; Protected Tactical SATCOM for contested tactical useMed^[1]

Dimensions and weight

Mass6,078 kg13,400 lb13,400 lbMed^[1]

Power20,000 WMed^[1]

Mission

MissionProtected, anti-jam EHF/SHF communications; 24-hour coverage 65°N to 65°SMed^[1]

Orbit

Orbit regimeGEOHigh^[1]

Design life14 yearsMed^[1]

Catalogued on orbit6Payloads with current element sets in the public catalog, active or not.High^[2]

Active (CelesTrak)6Count in the CelesTrak active satellites list, which estimates operational status.Med^[2]

Perigee35,387–35,772 kmActive satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08.High^[2]

Apogee35,801–36,185 kmActive satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08.High^[2]

Orbital period1,436–1,436.1 minActive satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08.High^[2]

Inclination1.37–8.58 °Active satellites per CelesTrak, element epoch about 2026-11-08.High^[2]

Catalogued satellites · 6^[2]

Name	NORAD	COSPAR	Perigee km	Apogee km	Incl. °	Period min	Status
AEHF-1 (USA 214)	36868	2010-039A	35,768	35,802	8.58	1436	Active
AEHF-2 (USA 235)	38254	2012-019A	35,772	35,801	6.98	1436.1	Active
AEHF-3 (USA 246)	39256	2013-050A	35,387	36,185	5.64	1436.1	Active
AEHF-4 (USA 288)	43651	2018-079A	35,492	36,081	1.43	1436.1	Active
AEHF-5 (USA 292)	44481	2019-051A	35,656	35,916	1.37	1436.1	Active
AEHF-6 (USA 298)	45465	2020-022B	35,595	35,978	2.25	1436.1	Active

Mean elements at epoch 2026-11-08 or later. Perigee and apogee are computed from mean motion and eccentricity and are approximate. Status follows the CelesTrak active list.

Summary

Survivable, jam-resistant satellite communications for strategic and tactical forces, including nuclear command and control; successor to Milstar.

Draft entry. Values come from the cited public sources and are awaiting editor verification.

Compare JSON

Operators

United States

Sources

Advanced Extremely High Frequency Satellite System (weapons and platforms entry), Air & Space Forces Magazine
Tier 3 · checked 2026-11-08
NORAD GP element sets (current data), CelesTrak (data from the U.S. Space Force 18th/19th Space Defense Squadron catalog)
Published/updated 2026-11-08 · Tier 1 · checked 2026-11-08

Change log

2026-11-08 Entry created from cited open sources
2026-11-08 Orbital elements from CelesTrak GP data (epoch about 2026-11-08): 6 catalogued, 6 active.