Air Force picks Apogee Engineering for systems engineering on nuclear weapons command and control system

Jan. 19, 2023
Apogee will provide program management, configuration management, technical standardization, mission engineering analysis, and architecture support.

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. – U.S. nuclear command and control experts needed a company to provide systems engineering for the Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications (NC3) Enterprise Center. They found their solution from Apogee Engineering LLC in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Officials of the U.S. Strategic Command's 55th Contracting Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., announced an $84.5 million order to Apogee on Tuesday to provide support for the NC3 Enterprise Center, including program and mission management, configuration management, technical standardization, mission engineering analysis, evolution, and architecture support.

Strategic Command's Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Enterprise Center (NEC) acts as the heart of the NC3 enterprise, and focuses on NC3 situation monitoring, decision-making, force direction, force management, and planning.

Related: Northrop Grumman to develop Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Weapon System in $3.3 billion contract

NC3 system includes land- and space-based sensors that watch for enemy missile launches, and communications that connect military command authorities to nuclear forces.

The NC3 Enterprise Center is being upgraded to connect next-generation nuclear weapons systems like the future B-21 stealth bomber, the Columbia-class strategic ballistic missile submarine, and the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Strategic Command is responsible for nuclear strategic deterrence, nuclear command and control, nuclear operations, space operations, joint electromagnetic spectrum operations, global strike, as well as missile defense, analysis, and targeting.

Related: Collins Aerospace to build and maintain nuclear-hardened VLF military SATCOM radios for strategic bombers

Apogee Engineering specializes in engineering and science, information technology, software solutions, mission support, management services, and cyber security.

On this order Apogee Engineering will do the work at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.; Fort Meade, Md.; Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.; and at National Capital Region locations, and should be finished by July 2028.

For more information contact Apogee Engineering online at www.apogeeusa.com, or the 55th Contracting Squadron at www.offutt.af.mil/Units/55th-Wing/55th-Mission-Support-Group/55th-Contracting-Squadron.

About the Author

John Keller | Editor-in-Chief

John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.

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