Sat firms aim at major AF exercise

WASHINGTON - SpaceX Starlink satellites will play a major role in an Air Force live-fire exercise in April, and a Virgin Galactic sister company is in talks to potentially join in as well. The exercises will include live-fire drills, such as taking down a UAV and shooting down a cruise missile. They will be performed across the country, from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., to Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. In December, the Air Force tested its experimental Advanced Battle Management System that will connect air, sea, land and space assets. The exercise was deemed successful, with SpaceX Starlink satellites used to link to an AC-130 gunship. As a next step, the AF's April 8 event is going to be "massive," Air Force acquisition chief William Roper told reporters at the Pentagon on Feb. 21. The SpaceX Starlink satellites will play a bigger role in the April event. SpaceX Starlink may not be the only commercial space provider to participate. There are discussions with Virgin Orbit, a privately held sister company of Virgin Galactic, to participate with its LauncherOne to provide on-demand launches, he said. (Source: Investor’s Business Daily 02/21/20) https://www.investors.com/news/spacex-starlink-satellites-virgin-orbit-massive-live-fire-air-force-exercise/