Air Force awards Lockheed Next-Gen OPIR contract worth up to $2.9 billion

The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract potentially worth $2.9 billion to build three Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellites.

The work is slated for completion in April 2021 and the service obligated $80 million in fiscal year 2018 research and development funds at the time of the award, according to Tuesday's contract announcement.

Next-Generation OPIR is the follow-on to the legacy Space-Based Infrared System constellation. The Air Force announced in May it would sole-source development of the Next-Generation OPIR geosynchronous satellites to Lockheed, the incumbent on SBIRS. The service awarded Northrop Grumman a $47 million undefinitized contract in late June to develop the program's polar satellites. 

The Air Force has said it plans to cut four years off its schedule for the SBIRS Follow-On effort, launching the first satellite in the 2023 time frame. At least some of that time will be saved by limiting initial competition. The service hasn't provided much detail on the constellation's new capability, but said the program's schedule targets would set the pace for other Air Force programs.