Through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) between Lockheed Martin and the United States Army, the pair will work to develop and demonstrate defense systems that link ground-based platforms to space.
On the U.S. Army’s side, efforts will be led by the Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Aviation and Missile Center (AvMC). Together with Lockheed Martin, a team will investigate means to improve satellite communications (SATCOM) to defense systems, identify overlap that could foster connectivity or capability gaps that hinder it, undertake tests and explore supportive uses of these communications systems, among other things.
“Lockheed Martin brings a legacy of experience in supporting our tactical warfighters, and we recognize the importance of providing them with next generation capabilities,” said John Schierling, Lockheed Martin director for Tactical Space Programs. “Our collaboration with AvMC will assist in developing a more effective, survivable and affordable battlefield-connected 21st-century security technology for our government customers and international allies by connecting platforms with space assets, helping deter future threats.”
The result should be space-enabled defense systems demonstrably capable of advancing technology beyond line-of-sight, in-flight targeting.
Design, development, integration and test risk reduction are all on the table, with activities centered at AvMC’s Redstone Arsenal, Alabama-based System Integration Lab (SIL). The team will utilize SIL’s advanced modeling and simulation tool suite to hasten delivery of experimental prototypes and balance technical performers from across various government agencies and industry.