Lockheed Martin wins THAAD field support contract

Lockheed Martin won a contract to provide support for the U.S. Army's fielding of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon system. The company will support the Army during the THAAD limited user testing, a key step toward release of the THAAD system. Additionally, Lockheed Martin will provide life-cycle support for the THAAD system, including maintenance, supply support, product assurance, and training. A team composed of onsite field service representatives will work alongside the warfighter to ensure THAAD's operational readiness. THAAD is a missile defense system with the operational flexibility to intercept inside and outside of the atmosphere. Since 2005, the program has conducted 10 flight tests, including six intercepts of unitary and separating targets achieving 100 percent mission success. Additional testing is scheduled this year and will continue through 2011.

Boeing delivers trainer for ground-based midcourse missile defense system

Boeing, working with industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, delivered a second GMD system trainer (GST) for the ground-based midcourse defense (GMD) system at Fort Greely, Alaska. GMD is the nation's defense against long-range ballistic missiles. An additional GST allows Alaska's National Guard operators to train independently or together with the existing training operations at the missile defense element in Colorado Springs, Colo. Exercising their standard tactics, techniques, and procedures, operators conduct simulated ballistic missile threat scenarios using the same consoles, computer hardware, and software used in operational battle management. "Having two GMD system trainers at Fort Greely opens up new avenues for the warfighter," says Paul Smith, Boeing director of GMD ground systems. "As we continually upgrade the GMD system, they now can train with either the current or upgraded software versions, use single or dual fire-control nodes, and engage in more realistic training conditions, all of which provides them with an unmatched level of support and readiness." Boeing has been the prime contractor for the GMD program since its inception, delivering more than 20 operational interceptors at Fort Greely and at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

Raytheon provides stand-in jammer to U.S. Air Force

The U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon in Tucson, Ariz., a $48.9 million contract to begin the engineering, manufacturing, and design (EMD) of its Miniature Air Launched Decoy stand-in jammer variant. MALD is a state-of-the-art, low-cost, decoy flight vehicle that is modular, air-launched, and programmable. It weighs less than 300 pounds and has a range of approximately 500 nautical miles (about 575 statute miles). The MALD-J adds radar-jamming capability to the basic MALD platform without altering the decoy's outer mold line. "In executing the MALD-J program, Raytheon has been ahead of schedule and under budget for 39 Junes in a row, and we have every reason to expect the same performance during EMD," says Ken Watson, the U.S. Air Force's MALD program manager. "The success of this program is crucial because it will reduce or eliminate the need for manned stand-in jamming aircraft."

Thales to supply command-and-control system to Swedish armed forces

The Swedish Defense Material Administration (FMV) awarded Thales Norway in Oslo, Norway, a contract to supply the Swedish armed forces with a new command-and-control (C2) system for military helicopters. According to the contract, Thales will be responsible for system design, integration, and supply of C2 systems for helicopter units within the Swedish armed forces. The system will provide improved command-and-control capability for helicopter units when deployed in national or international operations. It will be an integrated part of the armed forces' overall C2 systems, and will be interoperable with existing mobile C2 systems within the air force and Nordic Battle Group. Thales will supply a C2 system based upon the general architecture of all C2 systems in the Swedish armed forces.

Rockwell Collins delivers 30,000th ARC-210 radio to U.S. military

Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, delivered its 30,000th ARC-210 radio to the U.S. military. The ARC-210 provides two-way, multi-mode voice and data communications over a 30 to 512 MHz frequency range. It also includes embedded ultra high frequency (UHF) and very high frequency (VHF) anti-jam waveforms and other data link and secure communications features, providing the user with total battlefield interoperability and high-performance capabilities in the transfer of data, voice, and imagery, Rockwell Collins officials say.

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