Boeing, Lockheed Get $431M in Space Force Contracts for Satcom Payload Development

The Space Force has awarded a $240M contract to Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and a $191M contract to Boeing (NYSE: BA) to develop payloads to help the service branch secure military satellite communications.

The two companies will help the new service branch develop Protected Tactical Satcom payloads for a family-of-systems architecture designed to provide anti-jam, beyond line-of-sight communications to tactical warfighters, the U.S. Air Force said Tuesday.

PTS is part of the Space and Missile Systems Center’s pacesetter program and uses the fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act’s provisions for other transaction authority and middle-tier acquisition for rapid prototyping and fielding efforts.

“The technology maturation and prototyping effort conducted under [Space Enterprise Consortium] will allow SMC to harness the innovation of partnerships between traditional defense and non-traditional/small business contractors with a projected on-orbit capability three years earlier than a traditional acquisition,” said Col. Dennis Bythewood, program executive officer for space development.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) will also build a PTS payload for the Space Force under a potential $253.6M contract awarded in February.

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