The satellites will be operated by the US space force and give the first warning of a ballistic or tactical missile launch anywhere in the world.
WASHINGTON – Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $ 4.9 billion contract to manufacture three geosynchronous sustained overhead continuous infrared satellites, the Pentagon announced on January 4.
The satellites will be operated by the US space force and give the first warning of a ballistic or tactical missile launch anywhere in the world.
The Space Force is acquiring five next-generation OPIR satellites – the three geosynchronous orbiting satellites made by Lockheed Martin and two polar satellites manufactured by Northrop Grumman.
In August 2018, the Space and Missile Systems Center awarded Lockheed Martin a $ 2.9 billion contract for the development of the three GEO satellites. The new contract is for manufacturing, assembly, integration, testing and delivery by May 2028. The contract also covers ground system software and systems engineering.
The Space Force said the next generation of OPIR satellites would expand and eventually replace the coverage with existing space-based infrared system satellites, also made by Lockheed Martin. The first GEO satellite could start as early as 2025.
The space-based infrared system satellites were criticized in 2017 by General John Hyten – who is currently the Vice President of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former Commander of the U.S. Strategic Commander – for being ‘juicy targets’ for hostile anti-satellite weapons. This led to the Air Force accelerating the development of the new constellation.
The next generation OPIR spacecraft has more powerful sensors and other features that make them more resilient to attacks than current satellites.
” A space program of this size – which includes the development of two completely new loads for missile warnings – has never moved so fast, ” said Tom McCormick, Lockheed Martin’s vice president for overhead persistent infrared systems.