Relay Ground Station-Asia, slated for Guam, passes initial design review

Northrop Grumman recently completed a successful preliminary design review of Relay Ground Station-Asia for the U.S. Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific's missile warning system.

RGS-A is on track to be installed in Guam in late 2025, connecting current and next-generation missile warning and tracking satellites with end users, the company announced.

Plans are for developing six antennas for the Space Systems Command’s space-based infrared system, which keeps satellites in geosynchronous orbit.

The successful PDR confirms the company is on track to “transform” the existing missile-warning system, the company said.

The Space Force is modernizing the missile-warning system with the Future Operationally Resilient Ground Evolution (FORGE) system. Development includes installing ground stations to support current and future satellite systems.

Northrop Grumman announced that it completed the PDR a month ahead of schedule to show it is accelerating production processes to quickly meet and respond to critical defense needs.

The preliminary design review falls under a nearly $100 million, five-year contract Northrop has with the Naval Information Warfare Center.

Northrop Grumman was awarded the contract in 2022 to design, develop, test, deliver and integrate the relay ground station.

The work will take place at Northrop’s Boulder, CO facility.