LM to help develop Air Force Space Fence

MOORESTOWN, N.J., July 6 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has received a contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide development support for the situational awareness Space Fence system.

U.S. company Lockheed Martin was awarded the contract from the Air Force Materiel Command's Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base in Massachusetts. Under the $30 million deal, Lockheed Martin will support the Air Force's Space Fence program with concept development.

As part of the contract, Lockheed Martin will lead a team that includes General Dynamics, AT&T and AMEC in providing the Air Force Space Fence, a system of land-based S-Band radars and support centers, with concept development including prototyping, design and analysis services among other requirements.

The Space Fence is being designed to detect and alert authorities when objects and debris are orbiting the Earth to support the Air Force's space operations.

"Space Fence will provide a fully integrated, network-centric radar system of systems that will allow information to be shared on the Global Information Grid with space operators across the community," Carl Bannar, Lockheed Martin's radar business vice president and general manager, said in a statement.