Canada invests in U.S. Wideband Global satellite communications system

Canada's Department of National Defence ponied up $477 million in late October to gain capacity on the Pentagon's Wideband Global system, a planned fleet of eight communications satellites built by Boeing Co., each with a total throughput of 6.2 gigabits per second.

In January 2009, Boeing said the Australian Defence Force had invested $234 million in the Wideband Global system, giving that country worldwide access to the communications satellites. More countries could invest in the system, a top U.S. Defense Department official predicted last month.

Gregory Schulte, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for space policy, told attendees at a satellite conference last month that the Air Force is in the final phases of developing similar arrangements with several other allies. This approach has increased the size and capacity of the constellation, Schulte said.

The United States currently has three Wideband Global satellites in orbit and Boeing plans to launch three more in 2012 and 2013. This September, Boeing said it received a $1 billion contract to build and launch the seventh and eighth satellites.