Alaska Aerospace to Provide Responsive Operations and Sustainment Support at Key GMD Sites

June 17, 2010 by Jeffrey Bradford · View Comments
Filed under: Lockheed Martin, Syndicated Industry News 
Alaska Aerospace to Provide Responsive Operations and Sustainment Support at Key GMD Sites
June 17, 2010

ANCHORAGE, Alaska, -Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and Alaska Aerospace Corporation announced today that they are partnering to pursue the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Development and Sustainment Contract.

Together, the corporations will apply their proven experience to ensure the reliability and readiness of the GMD element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System, which defends our nation, deployed military forces, friends and allies against a limited attack by intermediate- and long-range ballistic missiles. The GMD Development and Sustainment Contract will entail development, manufacturing, test, training, operations and sustainment support.

"We are honored to welcome Alaska Aerospace to our GMD team," said Mathew J. Joyce, GMD vice president and program manager, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "Alaska Aerospace will be a key contributor to an open government-industry partnership that will ensure responsiveness and mission focus."

As a partner to Lockheed Martin, Alaska Aerospace will provide operations and maintenance support at Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., where GMD Ground-based Interceptors are deployed.

"Alaska Aerospace is committed to responsive and affordable GMD operations and maintenance in partnership with Lockheed Martin," said Dale Nash, chief executive officer, Alaska Aerospace Corporation. "We will apply our proven Kodiak Launch Complex expertise to GMD, providing consistency and transparency." Alaska Aerospace Corporation developed, owns and operates the Kodiak Launch Complex on Kodiak Island, Alaska, which provides government and commercial satellite launch services and target missile launch services for missile defense testing.

"We will continue to rely upon a skilled resident workforce, which will support the needs of the Missile Defense Agency and the warfighters for responsiveness, reliability and affordability," said retired Lt. Gen. Tom Case, president and chief operating officer, Alaska Aerospace Corporation.

"Alaska Aerospace brings not only an impressive record in all aspects of launch facility operation, but also tried-and-true experience in supporting complex operations in a subarctic environment," said retired Major Gen. John W. Holly, vice president, Missile Defense Systems, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.

Lockheed Martin's credentials for GMD Development and Sustainment include more than 30 years of experience in missile defense development, production, testing and fielding, more than 50 years of experience in strategic weapon system operations and sustainment, and award-winning performance-based logistics expertise. Lockheed Martin is a world leader in systems integration and the development of air and missile defense systems and technologies, including the first operational hit-to-kill missile. The company makes significant contributions to most major U.S. missile defense systems and participates in several global missile defense partnerships.

The Missile Defense Agency issued an amended draft request for proposals for GMD Development and Sustainment May 14 and has announced that it will issue a final request for proposals this summer and award the contract in 2011. In addition to Fort Greely and Vandenberg Air Force Base, GMD Development and Sustainment Contract work will be performed in Huntsville, Ala., at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., and at Eareckson Air Station, Alaska.

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Boeing Airborne Laser Team Completes 1st Airborne Test Against Instrumented Target Missile –Press Release

August 13, 2009 by Matthew Potter · View Comments
Filed under: Boeing, Business Line, Companies, Military Aviation, Press Releases, S&T, development program, missile defense 

Boeing Airborne Laser Team Completes 1st Airborne Test Against Instrumented Target Missile

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Aug. 13, 2009 — The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency on Aug. 10 successfully completed the Airborne Laser’s (ABL) first in-flight test against an instrumented target missile, achieving a historic milestone.

During the test, the modified Boeing 747-400F aircraft took off from Edwards Air Force Base and used its infrared sensors to find a target missile launched from San Nicholas Island, Calif. The Boeing-developed battle management system aboard ABL then issued engagement and target location instructions to the beam control/fire control system, which acquired the target and fired its two solid-state illuminator lasers to track the target and measure atmospheric conditions. ABL then fired a surrogate high-energy laser at the target, simulating a missile intercept. Instrumentation on the target verified that the surrogate high-energy laser hit the target.

“This test demonstrates that the Airborne Laser can fully engage an in-flight missile with its battle management and beam control/fire control systems,” said Michael Rinn, Boeing vice president and ABL program director. “Pointing and focusing a laser beam on a target that is rocketing skyward at thousands of miles per hour is no easy task, but the Airborne Laser is uniquely able to do the job.”

The test follows ABL’s engagement of two un-instrumented missiles in early June, which allowed the team to fine-tune the engagement sequence. ABL will now undergo flight tests in which the aircraft will fire its high-energy laser, first into an onboard calorimeter, then through its beam control/fire control system. The ABL team then will test the entire weapon system against in-flight missiles, culminating with ABL’s first high-energy laser intercept test against a ballistic missile later this year.

ABL would deter potential adversaries and provide speed-of-light capability to destroy all classes of ballistic missiles in their boost phase of flight. Eliminating missiles in their boost phase would reduce the number of shots required by other elements of the layered ballistic missile defense system.

“ABL’s revolutionary speed, mobility, precision and lethality would make it a great asset to America’s warfighters,” Rinn added.

Boeing is the prime contractor and overall systems integrator for ABL, and provides the modified aircraft and battle management system. Northrop Grumman supplies the high-energy laser, and Lockheed Martin provides the beam control/fire control system.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world’s largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=796

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