WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- A tethered aerostat-based system that provides surveillance for U.S. Afghan forces will continue to receive support from Lockheed Martin, officials said.
Operation and sustainment of the persistent threat detection system (PTDS), equipped with multiple sensors, comes under a U.S. Army contract worth $345 million, the company said.
"PTDS has proven to be a critical asset for the protection of our forces and those of our allies," said Jim Quinn, vice president of C4ISR Systems with Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions. "We will work in theater with the Army to ensure that PTDS continues to provide mission critical support directly to our warfighters."
The PTDS delivers constant day and night, 360-degree detection, surveillance, and force protection and is capable of remaining aloft for 25 days at a time, Lockheed Martin said.
The system is deployed both in rural and city areas of Afghanistan, the company said.
