Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) will aim to demonstrate a space-based sensor technology for defending against hypersonic weapons and other sophisticated missile threats under a $155 million prototype award from the Missile Defense Agency.
The company will perform on-orbit demonstration, launch and initial orbit testing work under Phase IIa of MDA’s Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor program, the Department of Defense said Friday.
MDA received four proposals for the project and will provide $25 million at the time of award. The agency expects the company to complete the services by July 22, 2023.
The HBTSS system is intended to work with the Space Development Agency’s tracking satellites and provide hypersonic missile warnings.
Northrop, L3Harris Technologies (NYSE: LHX), Raytheon Technologies (NYSE: RTX) and Leidos (NYSE: LDOS) secured contracts worth $20 million each in late 2019 to create sensor payload designs.
DOD announced Jan. 14 the award of a separate $121.6 million Phase IIa HBTSS prototype contract to L3Harris.
