Proposal Presented

Northrop Grumman has thrown its hat into the competition to build the Next Generation Aegis Missile, the company announced late this afternoon. According to a company statement:

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is highlighting its deep experience on early intercept of ballistic missile threats to compete for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) next-generation ballistic missile interceptor currently planned for fielding in 2020.

The company announced that it has submitted a proposal for the Next Generation Aegis Missile's (NGAM) concept definition and program planning phase set to get underway in 2011. The new interceptor will be designed to provide early intercept capability against some short-range ballistic missiles, all medium range ballistic missiles, all intermediate range ballistic missiles and non-advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles.

"This opportunity extends Northrop Grumman's long partnership with MDA to enhance the Ballistic Missile Defense System with an earlier intercept capability that helps achieve a layered missile defense," said Duke Dufresne, sector vice president and general manager, Strike and Surveillance Systems Division for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems.

"We will apply our team's complete set of tools, techniques, trade studies, lessons learned and investments to help MDA achieve its vision for the phased adaptive approach to missile defense," Dufresne added. "We also bring to bear our corporate expertise and capability in Aegis shipbuilding and naval systems to ensure a smooth land-to-sea transition. Our approach emphasizes an objective analysis of NGAM's mission needs with emphasis on affordability, quality, producibility and risk reduction to define a sweet-spot solution."

Inside Missile Defense reported in September that MDA had identified $1.4 billion in the Pentagon's six-year budget plan for the Next Generation Aegis Missile (NGAM) program. Specifically:

In answers to questions submitted to MDA after a July 29 industry day with agency Director Lt. Gen. Patrick O'Reilly, which were recently posted on Federal Business Opportunities, MDA writes that the $1.4 billion "figure that LTG O'Reilly mentioned was referring to the funding within MDA's POM12 budget for the Product Development Phase (covering years FY12-16). The number is a requested amount. No funds for FY-12 have been appropriated yet."

MDA anticipates contract awards for the NGAM program "in the second quarter of FY-11," the document states. When asked about the "technology maturation contact awards time line vs. the concept definition time line," MDA responds: "We intend to award additional technology maturation contracts in FY-11."

As to a question about the "funding stream," the agency answers: "The planning profile for this effort includes approximately $130 million between the years of FY11-13. The profile is notional and may change. It is roughly linear." However, the next question asks whether there is $45 million available "per year or total" for the concept definition and technology development phase, to which MDA responds: "The planning profile for this effort includes $135 million between the years of FY11-13. The profile is notional and may change."

According to a set of MDA briefing slides presented at an Oct. 13 NGAM pre-proposal conference, all industry proposals are due tomorrow.