After selecting Lockheed Martin as the prime contractor for its new ground-based long-range radar program, the US Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $4 million integration contract.
A team from Hanscom Air Force Base awarded the contract for work on the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar, or 3DELRR, program on September 17.
As explained, the main intent of the integration effort is to develop, test, and field interfaces that allow the radar to transmit data to other command and control nodes, ensuring the system is ready to replace the TPS-75 radar.
The team selected Northrop Grumman as a second contractor for integration after evaluating three commercially available, production-ready and deployable long-range systems during a series of live-fly demonstrations in September 2020. The team selected Lockheed Martin as the prime contractor in March this year.
“We look forward to the continued efforts of both contractors to provide the best capability to our warfighters as quickly as possible,” said Lt. Col. Matthew Judge, deputy program manager, 3DELRR. “Awarding a second integration contract maintains competitive pressure through the next year until procurement funds are available and a final decision is made on which system to move forward with.”
The current contract includes production options for up to 35 long-range radar systems.
The 3DELRR program office at Hanscom Air Force Base expects the selected system or systems to be fully deployable by 2024
3DELRR is a branch of the Theater Battle Control Division, a division of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Digital Directorate, headquartered here.
