Regina Garcia
Lockheed Martin has made progress with its Next Generation Interceptor commitment after verifying the capability of the defense system’s communication technology to function through adverse environments while in flight.
The defense and aerospace company completed a prototype testing of the interceptor’s communication radio technology, which can help raise in-flight situation awareness and therefore enable the interceptor to counter threats, Lockheed said Monday.
“This milestone continues the NGI team’s successful early and often testing cadence of critical technologies within our digital system design as it matures in alignment with our Developmental Evaluation Framework,” said Sarah Reeves, vice president and program manager of the NGI program at Lockheed.
Lockheed’s NGI team conducted prototyping with the help of Quantic Electronics unit X-Microwave. The company expects its first NGI delivery to the Missile Defense Agency in the fiscal year 2027.
In March 2021, Lockheed and Northrop Grumman were tapped by MDA to perform technology and development works for the NGI program under agency awarded contracts worth $1.6 billion. NGI aims to protect the U.S. from intercontinental ballistic missile threats.
