L-3 Communications wins $173M to support Missile Defense Agency Airborne Sensors Program.

L-3 Communications Integrated Systems L.P., doing business as L3 Aeromet, Tulsa, Oklahoma, is being awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract with a maximum amount of $172,719,699. A single initial task order in the amount of $22,878,503 is being issued.

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High Altitude Observatory aircraft (Picture source: Ashley Wallace)

Under this contract, the contractor will provide support for the Airborne Sensors (ABS) program. These efforts will continue operations and sustainment of the High Altitude Observatory (HALO) aircraft and sensor equipment, mission planning and flight test execution, and improvement and modernization efforts.

The primary objective of the ABS Mission Operations program is to provide airborne electro-optic and infrared sensor capabilities to support Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and other test activities.

The ABS program directs the design, development, integration, test, operation, maintenance, improvements, modernization, mission support and data reduction and analysis activities for three types of aircraft: two High Altitude Observatory (HALO-I/II) aircraft, modified Gulfstream IIB aircraft, and the Widebody Airborne Sensor Program (WASP)-modified McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 aircraft. The program scope also includes any future aircraft and mission equipment required to support MDA test and assessment activities.

The High ALtitude Observatory (HALO) is an instrumented aircraft used as an airborne optical data collection platform supporting U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) tests.  The system is used to collect missile test and evaluation data including photo documentation, characterization of target scenes, metric and radiometric characterization of systems, and missile plume phenomenology/signature data.

The work will be performed in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The ordering period will September 2021 through September 2026. One offeror was solicited and one offer was received. Fiscal 2021 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,000,000 are being obligated on this award. The Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity (HQ0855-21-D-0001).