Lockheed Martin wins $784 Million LRDR contract

The Missile Defense Agency has awarded Lockheed Martin a $784.3 million contract to develop and operate the Long Range Discrimination Radar.

The nine-year contract includes "options to develop, deploy, test, and operate" the LRDR, according to an Oct. 21 Defense Department statement.

The new radar "will provide persistent discrimination capability to the Ballistic Missile Defense system to support the defense of the homeland," and will be based at Clear Air Force Station, AK, according to DOD. MDA has obligated $35.5 million in fiscal year 2015 research, development, test and evaluation funds to start.

In its FY-16 budget request, MDA asked Congress for $138 million for the LRDR program. The system is a mid-course tracking radar that would provide persistent sensor coverage and "improve discrimination capabilities against threats to the homeland from the Pacific theater," according to the agency's budget overview.