Lockheed Martin has been awarded an $80.6 million fixed-price contract from the US Missile Defense Agency to build modified ballistic re-entry vehicles and separation modules for missile defense tests. The company will be developing and producing unarmed re-entry vehicles for integration into target missiles through 2022. The contract also includes options for additional modified re-entry vehicles and mission support.
“The re-entry vehicle is essentially the bullseye for an interceptor missile, and it is also one of the most complex parts of the target,” said Sarah Reeves, vice president of Missile Defense Programs at Lockheed Martin Space. “In today’s environment, it’s incredibly important to test against threat-representative targets that look like enemy missiles, and we are proud to continue to provide that capability to the Missile Defense Agency.”Defense TechConnect
The modified vehicles – which will be designed and produced in Huntsville, Alabama – will carry sensors to measure the accuracy and effectiveness of the target, interceptor, and missile defense system. Testing against a capable, threat-representative re-entry vehicle helps ensure the ballistic missile defense system is ready to detect and destroy enemy missiles.
Subcontractors include Huntsville companies Dynetics, Inc., will design, manufacture, and integrate the aeroshells and structures in house, and Battelle, which will provide the hit detection system.
“We are proud to partner with Lockheed Martin to provide the MBRV aeroshells and the re-entry vehicle separation module structures. Because of our long-standing relationship with Lockheed Martin, we are able to provide quality products to our missile defense customer,” said Scott Stanfield, Dynetics program manager.