Neel Mehta
Northrop Grumman will carry out a feasibility study to assess the development of a follow-on space vehicle and navigational payloads for the U.S. Air Force’s Global Positioning System III satellite program under a 26-month contract.
The company said Tuesday the contract award is based on its proposal to provide the service branch with a mission-specific spacecraft and a prototype of a navigational payload that demonstrated military code transmission functions during a radio frequency test in 2015.
Boeing and Lockheed Martin also received readiness feasibility contracts from the military branch in May.
Tim Frei, vice president of communications systems at Northrop’s aerospace systems business, said the company will work to develop its payload prototype through the contract in an effort to help military and civilian agencies counter future threats.
Each contract has a base value of $5 million over a 26-month period and two six-month options worth approximately $1 million combined.
