Lockheed Martin has announced that it has submitted its proposal for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Development and Sustainment Contract to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's (MDA's) GMD Joint Program Office. The Lockheed Martin-Raytheon team completed delivery of the proposal yesterday, Jan. 27.

The GMD Development and Sustainment Contract will provide development, manufacturing, test, training, performance-based logistics, operations and sustainment of the GMD element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System, which protects the nation, our allies and friends against limited ballistic missile attack.

MDA has announced that it intends to award the contract May 31 and that the acquisition value is approximately $600 million per year with an initial period of performance of seven years.

"Quality, reliability, affordability, transparency, support to the war fighter and the defense of our country drive the fundamental elements of our proposal," said Mathew J. Joyce, GMD vice president and program manager, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.

"With that clarity of purpose, the combined strengths of our unified team established the strong foundation of our proposal, setting the example for how we'll work together after award. Lockheed Martin's disciplined systems engineering processes coupled with our team's proven performance underpin the ability of this team to deliver on our commitments."

"The Lockheed Martin-Raytheon team is ideally positioned to deliver this critical capability to the Missile Defense Agency and the nation," said Frank Wyatt, Raytheon vice president of Air and Missile Defense Systems.

"Our two companies fully understand this mission and the requirements that MDA has outlined. Together we can deliver the highest quality, most affordable and lowest-risk solution for GMD development and sustainment."

As industry leaders in interceptor weapon systems for missile defense, strategic partners Lockheed Martin and Raytheon will apply their unique credentials to GMD.

Lockheed Martin and Raytheon systems combined have achieved more than 50 intercepts in testing and combat. These systems include Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense with the Standard Missile-3 interceptor and Patriot with the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 interceptor.

Lockheed Martin will be prime contractor and systems integrator, leading the team in performing work at all major GMD sites: Huntsville, Ala.; Fort Greely, Alaska; Eareckson Air Station, Alaska; Schriever Air Force Base, Colo.; and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. In addition to the GMD Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, Raytheon will provide systems engineering, development, modeling and simulation, operations and sustainment, manufacturing, testing and training.

The team includes all of the GMD original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). This will provide operational continuity. Large and small companies across the nation will contribute to system evolution. The team includes: Alaska Aerospace Corporation, ARES Corporation, ATK Aerospace Systems, Bechtel National Inc., Bluespring Software, CohesionForce Inc., Dynetics Inc., Harris Corporation, Imprimis Inc., IroquoiSystems Inc., Mission Solutions Engineering, NANA Development Corporation's ASTS-Akima Logistics Services Joint Venture, Northrop Grumman Information Systems as an OEM provider, Orbital Sciences Corporation, Oregon Iron Works Inc., Quadrus Corporation, QuantiTech Inc. and TDX Power Inc.

The team's credentials include more than 30 years of experience in midcourse hit-to-kill missile defense development, production, testing, fielding and operations and more than 50 years of experience in strategic weapon system development, test, operations and sustainment and strategic weapon facility operations, along with Department of Defense award-winning performance-based logistics expertise.