Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $3.3 billion, 10-year contract for support services on classified military communications satellites, the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center announced recently.
The indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract is for operations and support of the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF), Milstar and Defense Satellite Communications System (DSCS) III constellations.
Bethesda, Md.-headquartered Lockheed Martin has delivered five of six AEHF satellites the Air Force procured, which are manufactured at the company's Sunnyvale, Calif., plant. The sixth AEHF satellite is currently in production and expected to launch in 2020.
Milstar and DSCS are legacy satellites. The first DSCS III satellite was launched in October 1982, and the last in August 2003. Of the 14 satellites launched, seven are still operational, according to the Air Force. There are five operational Milstar satellites; the first one launched in 1994 and the last one in 2003.
The Air Force consolidated the support work for AEHF, Milstar and DSCS constellations under a combined orbital operations logistics and resiliency contract. Lockheed Martin has been the prime contractor for this program since 2009.
These satellites provide nuclear-hardened, anti-jam global communications to the White House, the State Department and military users, and they support the nation’s nuclear command and control system. AEHF also is used by U.S. allies Canada, the Netherlands and the UK.