LOS ANGELES -- The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for three Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Space Vehicles. The contract encompasses requirements analysis, design/development, critical path flight hardware procurement, early manufacturing, and risk reduction efforts leading to a system critical design review.
The contract follows a similar one awarded to Northrop Grumman in June 2018 to begin work on two polar-orbiting OPIR satellites.
The contract utilizes rapid procurement authority granted to the Air Force by Congress in 2016. As such, the award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. In addition, the contract is not a multiyear deal. Instead, it is an undefinitized contract worth up to $2.9 billion. At the time of the award, Lockheed Martin received $80 million.
The initial work conducted by Lockheed Martin is expected to culminate in a critical design review by the end of April 2021. At that point, the Air Force will likely award contract modifications at a later date up to the total amount. Still, the Air Force and Lockheed Martin will work to keep costs lower. The fifth and sixth SBIRS GEO satellites (which OPIR will be replacing) cost $930 million each. The Air Force will aim to keep costs at or below that point.
The Air Force initially planned to begin deploying SBIRS follow-ons in FY29. However, Strategic Command commander General John Hyten has said that this is too long and would prefer to start deploying satellites by 2025, using an incremental upgrade approach, rather than using revolutionary, and risky, technology. In fact, the Air Force may even attempt to deploy the satellites by 2023.
It is unlikely the Air Force will deploy the satellites that quickly. However, using the new contracting methods will speed development and deployment, making a launch by the mid-2020s possible.
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