Lockheed Martin To Support Aegis Ashore System in Poland

Lockheed Martin has received additional funding to provide equipment and technical support for Aegis Ashore test and operational systems in Poland.

"Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Moorestown, New Jersey, has been awarded a $10,396,703 modification to a previously awarded contract to provide equipment and technical support for Aegis Ashore test and operational systems in Poland," the release explained on Thursday.

"The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $2,476,786,132 from $2,466,389,429", the statement added.

Other services to be provided include combat systems engineering study support for increased capabilities, the release added.

Russia was concerned over the creation of the ballistic missile defense system in Europe, approved in 2010 during a NATO summit in Lisbon.

A group of European countries, including Poland, Romania, Spain and Turkey, agreed to deploy elements of the system on their territories.

Work will be performed in the US state of New Jersey, with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2018.

Aegis Ashore is the first operational land-based version of the Aegis Combat System, a sophisticated collection of phased-array radars, fire control directors, computers and missiles.

This would consist of equipment which is commonly used by the Navy being deployed in land-based facilities. This would include SPY-1 radars and a battery of Standard Missile-3s.

The Obama administration’s plans called for two sites. The first in Romania at Deveselu that was opened in May 2015 and the second in Poland in 2018.

Further, In 2020, both will get the latest versions of the Aegis BMD software and the latest version of the SM-3.