Orbital Wins $24 Million Task Order From U.S. Army for Air-Launched Missile Defense Targets
New Contract is the Second $20 Million-plus Target Vehicle Award From Army in October
Orbital Sciences Corporation
announced today that it was recently awarded a $24 million
development task order by the United States Army Space and Missile Defense
Command (USASMDC) for the Short Range Air Launch Target program.
The
objective of USASMDC’s program is to develop and launch four Navy Area Theater
Ballistic Missile (TBMD) Short Range Air Launch Targets in support of the
Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) Targets Program.
Orbital was
selected for this task order in a competitive bidding process with two other
companies.
Earlier this month, Orbital announced that it had won a $22
million contract for Phase II of the Liquid Booster Development Program also
from USASMDC.
The air-launched target missile will be transported to an area over the
ocean aboard a C-130 cargo aircraft.
Once at the correct location, the target
missile will be extracted from the C-130 using parachutes and stabilized in
descent, then its rocket motor will be ignited.
This launch method allows
target missions to be carried out from locations and directions where no
ground-based launch range exists.
This capability has already been
successfully demonstrated by USASMDC.
The Short Range Air Launch Target vehicle will utilize surplus ICBM solid
rocket motors for its propulsion.
The target vehicle trajectories will be
less than 500 kilometers and will support the Navy Area Wide missile defense
program.
Orbital’s target vehicles already support such programs as Patriot
PAC-3, Navy Theater Wide and Ground-Based Mid-Course Defense System.
The
program will be carried out by Orbital’s Launch Systems Group at its
engineering and manufacturing facility in Chandler, Arizona.
Commenting on the award, Mr. Ronald J. Grabe, Executive Vice President and
General Manager of Orbital’s Launch Systems Group, said, “We are extremely
pleased to have been selected by USASMDC to perform the Short Range Air Launch
Target missions.
Orbital looks forward to building upon the successful
relationship previously established with USASMDC on the STORM ballistic target
and Consolidated Theater Target Services programs.”
Orbital is one of the world’s most experienced companies in designing,
producing and operating rockets that use an air-launch method.
In the past 12
years, the company has performed 33 air-launched missions involving satellite
launch, target and test bed operations.
Orbital develops and manufactures affordable space systems, including
satellites, launch vehicles, and advanced space systems. Orbital is also
involved with satellite-based networks that provide wireless data
communications and high-resolution Earth imagery to customers all around the
world.
More information about Orbital can be found at: http://www.orbital.com
CONTACT:
Barron Beneski, Public and Investors Relations of Orbital
Sciences Corporation, +1-703-406-5528, or beneski.barron@orbital.com .
