Fort Detrick Maryland chosen as permanent site for Wideband Military SATCOM training

Fort Detrick Maryland chosen as permanent site for Wideband Military SATCOM training
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Nov 16, 2024

Fort Detrick, Maryland, has been designated as the permanent home of the Wideband Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Operations Center (WSOC), which will host the Wideband Transmission Controller Operator Course (WTCOC). This course trains Guardians in managing satellite transmissions across the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) and Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) constellations.

This move consolidates training efforts under the U.S. Space Force (USSF), enabling the incorporation of the active Wideband SATCOM Operational Management System (WSOMS) node maintained at Fort Detrick.

Lt. Col. Patrisha Knight, deputy director of Space Systems Command's (SSC) Military Communications and Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Program Executive Office, emphasized the value of the new setup. "Wideband military SATCOM delivers critical long-haul communications to enable the Joint Force and its mission partners to fight and win in any environment and against any adversary," Knight said. "Access to a live WSOMS node allows students to shadow WSOC operations to improve support for realistic training and expose students to operational scenarios they will encounter when supporting global military SATCOM operations."

WGS centers act as the primary support hubs for troubleshooting vital military SATCOM links, facilitating continuous operations across joint and interagency missions. The U.S. Army's Cyber Center of Excellence (USACCoE) at Fort Eisenhower, Georgia, previously offered the training as the Satellite Systems Network Coordinator Course.

With the USSF now in charge, SSC/CGM collaborates with Space Operations Command's Space Delta 8 (DEL 8), the 53rd Space Operations Squadron (53 SOPS), and the U.S. Army Project Office - Wideband Control Systems (PO WCS). This partnership focuses on integrating the Wideband Training and Certification System (WTCS) and supporting the live WSOMS node at Fort Detrick. Additionally, SSC/CGM will advance training environments, enabling instructors to simulate comprehensive scenarios, including satellite anomalies, ground faults, and potential threats.

The 86-day WTCOC spans 686 training hours and ends with a qualification assessment. Graduates, upon successful completion, are qualified to serve at Schriever Space Force Base (SFB), Colorado, or at one of the five WSOC detachments located in Maryland, Germany, Hawaii, and Japan.

The Army began transitioning the WTCOC to Space Operations Command's 8th Combat Training Squadron Detachment 1 (8 CTS DET 1) in January 2024, part of the broader shift of SATCOM duties to the USSF. The complete transition, including management of the WSOMS program, is anticipated by Fiscal Year 2026, overseen by SSC/CGM.