Will Add Three, Possibly Four More Satellites
Lockheed Martin's Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) team has
submitted its proposal for the program's follow-on production phase
and has completed a major Preliminary Design Review (PDR) milestone
with the US Air Force. The SBIRS program is designed to provide
early warning of missile launches, and simultaneously support other
missions including missile defense, technical intelligence and
battlespace awareness.
The SBIRS Follow-on Program, which will complete the SBIRS
constellation, will add the third and fourth highly elliptical
orbit (HEO) payloads as well as the third and an option for a
fourth geosynchronous orbit (GEO) spacecraft.
The proposal, submitted on March 22, builds on the experience of
prime contractor Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, CA, and
payload integrator, Northrop Grumman, Azusa, CA. in providing the
SBIRS development program for the Space Based Infrared Systems Wing
at the US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles
Air Force Base, CA.
"With the submission of the full production proposal for the
SBIRS follow-on program, the joint government-industry team is
another step closer to making the planned constellation of this
critical system a reality," said Col. Roger Teague the US Air Force
SBIRS Wing Commander. "I salute the entire SBIRS team for their
dedication and hard work and look forward to future mission
success."
Working under an initial $370
million contract for advanced procurement phase, the team has
successfully completed PDRs for the HEO & GEO payloads and
systems along with critical components and subsystems. With the
completion of the SBIRS follow on program PDR phase, the program
team will transition to the Critical Design Review (CDR) stage,
followed by the production phase.
"Successful completion of the PDR phase will allow us to move
efficiently into the next phase of this essential program," said
Jeff Smith, Lockheed Martin's SBIRS Vice President. "We look
forward to building on our close customer partnership as we strive
to achieve operational excellence on this critical system."
Lockheed Martin's current SBIRS contract includes the two HEO
payloads now on-orbit, two GEO satellites, as well as ground-based
assets to receive and process the infrared data. Contract award for
the additional GEO spacecraft and HEO payloads is expected in late
2009.