Lockheed, Raytheon, Thales to coordinate for NATO missile defense

July 18 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin and ThalesRaytheonSystems are collaborating to provide NATO with a local command and control system for ballistic missile defense capability.

The companies on Tuesday announced the signing of a teaming agreement between the three companies. Together, they will provide services rooted in a 2010 decision by NATO members at the Lisbon Summit to develop a native missile defense capability.

At the summit, NATO leaders decided that missile defense was a core role of the military alliance. The prime role of the new program is to provide integrated command-and-control for the systems between NATO nations in Europe.

"Our companies are committed to providing the best technical and program talent available to provide a low risk and operationally relevant NATO BMD capability," David Gulla, vice president of mission systems and solutions at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, said in a press release. "We are confident that this teaming framework creates the best value for NATO and ensures delivery of a timely and effective territorial BMD capability."

The program will be focused on upgrading, testing and integrating the existing NATO systems and communications network to enable exchanges between NATO and other national missile defense systems. The method of communication is meant to provide NATO and its members with an enhanced ability to defend territories protected by the alliance.

"Lockheed Martin delivered the Defense Design System for NATO's BMD planning capability," said Rob Smith, vice president of C4ISR for Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, adding that the companies "will leverage that success, as well as our expertise in command and control, weapon system development and systems integration to achieve the Alliance goals."