A history of problems with established military satellite development programs may come back to haunt the U.S. Air Force as it seeks to kick new ones into high gear next year, congressional sources said. These sources agreed that one development program in particular, the Transformational Satellite (T-Sat) communications system, likely will receive far less funding than the Air Force has requested for 2006. These sources said they were a bit mystified by the Air Force's request, which appears to defy strong congressional direction in the 2005 defense spending bill to put the brakes on T-Sat and the Space Radar, another ambitious development project. The Air Force overhauled its space acquisition policy in 2003 after its space programs became notorious for cost growth and delays. But 2004 brought continued problems with the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) missile warning satellites, and a cost-growth spurt on the Advanced Extremely High Frequency communications program, leaving many on Capitol Hill skeptical that the Air Force reforms are having any meaningful effect, sources said.
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