A team led by Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman , has submitted a proposal for the Risk Reduction and System Definition effort of the Transformational Communications MILSATCOM (TCM) Space Segment. The program represents the next step toward transitioning the Department of Defense wideband and protected communications satellite architecture into a single network comprised of multiple satellite, ground, and user segment components.

"Lockheed Martin is proud to be part of this critical national initiative, and we look forward to working with our customer to define an innovative, best value TCM solution," said Rick Skinner, vice president, transformational communications for Lockheed Martin Space Systems. "We have established an outstanding team, and submitted a proposal that builds on our legacy of providing high-speed, protected military telecommunications systems and our networking experience to make TCM the wireless, over-the-horizon extension of the Global Information Grid,"

The Lockheed Martin/Northrop Grumman team includes Rockwell Collins, General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, L-3 Com, Stratogis, Cisco, C&H Associates, and ViaSat in an effort to bring together industry expertise in all segments of the end-to-end architecture. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, Calif. will serve as the prime contractor and systems integrator for the TCM Space Segment effort. Northrop Grumman will provide the satellite payloads.

The proposal submitted today is for the Risk Reduction and System Definition (RR&SD) contract scheduled to be awarded to two industry teams by the MILSATCOM Joint Program Office, Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, at Los Angeles AFB, Calif. in December 2003. The Lockheed Martin/Northrop Grumman proposal provides the foundation from which to transition to the final Acquisition and Operations Phase scheduled to be awarded in 2006.

The Transformational Communications MILSATCOM will provide significantly improved, highly mobile protected communications to support the future battlefield. "The TCM program will leverage the billion dollar investments made over the last decade on several enabling technologies such as laser communications and modern networking protocols," said Stuart Linsky, program manager, transformational communications for Northrop Grumman Space Technology. "We have analyzed the challenges in delivering a global network where bandwidth is not a constraint and are confident that our disciplined approach to technology maturation and risk reduction will allow the government to deploy this capability as soon as possible."

The system will network mobile warfighters, sensors, weapons, communications command and control nodes whether located on UAVs, piloted aircraft, on the ground, in the air, at sea or in space.

TCM is one of several elements that make up the Transformational Communications architecture that the national security space community, in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, has developed over the last two years.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin employs about 125,000 people worldwide and is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The Corporation reported 2002 sales of $26.6 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Space Systems