The Office of Naval Research has awarded New York-based precision timing manufacturer Frequency Electronics a potential five-year, $20.26 million contract for a compact mercury ion atomic clock.
ONL will use Frequency Electronic’s clock on the Next Generation Department of Defense Atomic Clock research and development program being conducted at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, DOD said Monday.
According to an earlier special notice, the initiative aims to create an atomic device that can synchronize warfighting systems’ internal timing with the Coordinated Universal Time in a military environment.
Frequency Electronic will perform work at its facilities in Uniondale throughout the performance period ending on Jan. 11, 2024, with options for a maximum three-year extension.
ONL used fiscal 2011 research, development, test and evaluation funds to finance the award, which was competed under a long-range broad agency announcement.