A General Dynamics C4 Systems subsidiary will design and manufacture ground structures and provide systems integration services to Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the U.S. Air Force‘s Space Fence program.
The company said Thursday General Dynamics SATCOM Technologies will start to build the Space Fence radar ground system in mid-2015 at a facility in the Marshall Islands to support Lockheed’s $914 million contract with the Air Force.
“General Dynamics C4 Systems SATCOM Technologies . . . will contribute to keeping the satellites we depend on for communications, weather forecasting and other services from colliding with space debris,” said Chris Marzilli, president of General Dynamics C4 Systems.
General Dynamics said that there are currently at least 100,000 objects orbiting in space and the Space Fence will be used to track them to prevent damage to space assets.