Lockheed Martin Receives $383M Contract for Aerostat Detection Systems from U.S. Army

The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $383 million contract to maintain, operate and sustain the Persistent Threat Detection Systems (PTDS). The tethered aerostat provides real-time, around-the-clock reconnaissance and surveillance of broad geographic areas for warfighters in Iraq and Afghanistan. “The availability of timely intelligence is vital to protecting deployed personnel and high-value assets,” said Jim Quinn, vice president of C4ISR Systems with Lockheed Martin IS&GS-Defense. “Our PTDS team will continue to provide mission critical support directly to our warfighters.” Equipped with multiple sensors, PTDS is an aerostat-based system that delivers constant day and night, 360 degree detection, surveillance, monitoring and force protection. “Lockheed Martin has a 80-year heritage of providing lighter-than-air systems to the military, that provides a much needed capability to keep our men and women safe in theater,” said Colleen Arthur, director of Integrated Defense Technologies for Lockheed Martin Mission Systems & Sensors. “PTDS is a highly effective combat-proven system, and provides eyes-on-target and real-time situational awareness for our warfighter.”