Raytheon to Help Air Force Build IR Satellite Data Processing Tech

Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) will develop and test a prototype system for the U.S. Air Force to process and manage huge amounts of satellite data as part of a $197M missile warning architecture modernization contract.

The data processing technology is designed to collect Overhead Persistent Infrared satellite data from the Air Force’s Space-Based IR constellation and future OPIR satellites, as well as other environmental and civilian sensors, Raytheon said Tuesday.

The service branch will primarily use the prototype, called Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution Mission Data Processing Application Framework Mission Data Processing Application Framework, to transmit missile alerts to the National Command Authority and the Department of Defense.

Karen Casey, an engineering fellow and FORGE lead at Raytheon, said the system will include applications for detecting agricultural changes, electric power consumption, volcanic activity and fire incidents.

Jabari Loving, a FORGE systems engineer, noted the tool will also contain heat-signature detection features suitable for first responder missions. DoD will own FORGE and conduct subsequent cybersecurity vetting procedures, he added.

Raytheon has used DevOps methodology in the project and finished testing the technology with SBIRS data.

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