Space

Raytheon wins AIT contract

On Sept. 21, the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, or SMDC, awarded a potential $345 million – if all options are exercised – contract to Raytheon Missile Systems Company of Tucson, Ariz., for an Atmospheric Interceptor Technology, or AIT, interceptor testbed effort.

In the basic contract, valued at $45.7 million, the contractor will develop requirements for and preliminary and detailed design(s) for an integrated AIT interceptor testbed for use in the flight test program. This phase may end at Critical Design Review (CDR) 33 months after award, or be extended by exercising options through subsequent CDRs. The basic effort also requires performance of additional trade studies and other analyses in support of the AIT program. The contract includes option(s) for design iterations, additional trade study effort, and requires up to three fully integrated interceptor testbeds.

The AIT interceptor testbed is managed by SMDC’s Weapons Directorate in support of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. The contractor will develop and demonstrate component and subsystem endoatmospheric interceptor technologies through integrated ground and flight tests that support future capabilities and customer needs in current and future Major Defense Acquisition Programs (MDAPS) operating within the atmosphere.

Throughout the development program, the contractor will demonstrate progressive performance capabilities leading to components and subsystems for technology insertion into the supported MDAPs. The contractor will be required to define, design, develop, fabricate, integrate, document, and test interceptor testbed components culminating in demonstrations of an integrated AIT interceptor testbed.

Major subcontractors include: Thiokol of Elkton, Md.; Raytheon TI Systems of Dallas, Texas; Honeywell of Clearwater, Fla.; MOOG Space Products Division of East Aurora, N.Y.; Fiber Materials, Inc. of Biddeford, Maine; Raytheon Electronic Systems Co. of Tewksbury, Mass; and CFD Research of Huntsville, Ala.

9/22/98