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Japan has moved forward with plans for a new secure military communications satellite, awarding a major contract to Mitsubishi Electric with a key payload supplied by Lockheed Martin, raising fresh questions about Australia’s own decision to cancel a similar capability.
Under the agreement, Lockheed Martin will provide a next-generation secure military communications satellite (MILSATCOM) payload incorporating the latest in advanced anti-jamming technologies as part of Japan’s next-generation Defence Satellite Communications System.
Lockheed Martin’s payload will be integrated into a satellite built by Mitsubishi Electric for the Japan Ministry of Defense, with the completed spacecraft destined for geostationary orbit.
The new system will replace Japan’s existing X-band military communications satellite and expand into additional frequency bands to support growing demand for secure data links across the Japanese Self-Defense Forces.
Once operational, the satellite will provide highly protected communications designed to resist jamming and interference while remaining interoperable with allied and partner nations.
Lockheed Martin will design and manufacture the communications payload at its facilities in Colorado before shipping it to Japan, where Mitsubishi Electric will conduct final assembly, integration and testing prior to launch.
Jeff Schrader, vice-president for strategy and business development at Lockheed Martin Space, said the collaboration highlights the company’s growing defence partnerships across the region.
“We look forward to collaborating with Mitsubishi Electric to deliver a proven, next-generation communications capability for Japan,” Schrader said.
The program will ultimately deliver a domestically produced Japanese defence communications satellite capable of supporting secure command and control across the Indo-Pacific.
“With our significant investments in advanced design and manufacturing and a focus on international growth and support of our allies, we’re bringing spacecraft solutions forward quickly to meet the needs of our global customers,” Schrader added.
The partnership builds on an earlier memorandum of understanding between Lockheed Martin and Mitsubishi Electric to cooperate on geostationary defence communications satellites, including potential export opportunities to other partners in the Asia-Pacific.
The development is notable for Australia because Canberra recently cancelled a closely related program involving the same US defence giant.
In late 2024, the Australian government terminated the AU$6.9–7 billion JP 9102 Australian Defence SATCOM System contract that had been awarded to Lockheed Martin under the Australian Department of Defence.
The project had been intended to deliver a sovereign, highly protected military satellite communications capability for the Australian Defence Force. The cancellation shocked many in the Australian defence and space industries, respectively, but came amid concerns expressed by the government regarding the potential vulnerability of a single-orbit GEO solution.
JP 9102 was designed to place multiple Australian-controlled satellites into geostationary orbit to provide jam-resistant communications for deployed forces, while also supporting allied interoperability. The system was expected to underpin everything from joint operations and missile defence coordination to long-range maritime and air operations across the Indo-Pacific.
However, the government abruptly cancelled the program during the 2024 defence spending review, arguing the project had become too costly and that alternative solutions, including commercial or allied systems, could meet the ADF’s communications needs more efficiently. Claims challenged by experts across the industry.
Japan’s decision to proceed with a next-generation protected communications satellite, using the same prime contractor Australia had selected, has therefore reignited debate within Australia’s defence community.
Critics argue that sovereign, jam-resistant satellite communications are becoming a baseline requirement for modern warfare, particularly in an era of electronic warfare and space-based disruption. Supporters of the cancellation, however, maintain that leveraging allied space architectures could provide similar capability at lower cost.
Either way, Japan’s move highlights a stark contrast in approach. While Canberra has stepped back from building its own protected military satellite communications network, Tokyo appears to be doubling down on sovereign space-based defence infrastructure, raising the question of whether Japan sees risks in the regional security environment that Australia has yet to fully acknowledge.
Stephen Kuper
Steve has an extensive career across government, defence industry and advocacy, having previously worked for cabinet ministers at both Federal and State levels.
