Lockheed Martin has been awarded a cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee, and cost-only contract by the US Navy for its Aegis combat system engineering agent (CSEA) programme.
Under the five-year $100m contract, Lockheed will design, develop, integrate, test and deliver computer programme baselines, associated technology insertion and hardware design support.
The company will also perform developmental and operational testing, develop training and logistics products and provide field technical support for designated combat systems baselines for Aegis-equipped ships, as well as maintain legacy systems.
Lockheed Martin’s mission systems and training executive vice president Dale P Bennett said: "Our team met the navy’s challenge to reduce costs and drive innovation into Aegis CSEA by increasing productivity, utilising automated testing and analysis and increasing the role of small businesses."
The new CSEA contract is intended to develop and maintain the Aegis weapon system (AWS) and Aegis combat system (ACS) for CG 47 Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruisers, DDG 51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, and potential future surface combatant ship classes.
Programme executive officer integrated weapons systems (PEO IWS) rear admiral Joe Horn said Aegis CSEA programme would provide improved systems at a lower cost for the navy.
Aegis-equipped ships are multi-mission surface combatants that can simultaneously attack land targets, submarines and surface ships, while automatically implementing defences to protect the fleet against aircraft and missiles.
Advanced capability build (ACB) 16 and technology insertion 16 will be the initial phase under the systems engineering, development and integration work and will follow through the period of performance of the contract.
Additional capabilities provided by ACB will enable the AWS to address increasing anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defence threats.
The contract is scheduled to be complete by May 2018, while the navy is considering a follow-on solicitation for the development of future ACBs.
Image: US Navy’s Aegis combat system engineering agent. Photo: courtesy of Lockheed Martin Corporation.
