Progress on NAVSPASUR successor

http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism...6-101358-2537r

USAF gets risk data on Space Fence radar

WASHINGTON, Sept. 26 [2006] (UPI) -- Final data from the risk-reduction
phase of the U.S. Space Fence S-band radar program has been delivered
to the Air Force.

Raytheon said Tuesday the package included analyses on prototyping,
modeling and other aspects of the program that aims to increase the
monitoring of objects in orbit around Earth.

"Space Fence is a critical program for the Air Force as it moves
forward to improve its space situational awareness capabilities," said
Raytheon Vice President Mary Petryszyn. "This risk reduction phase of
the program was an important step for our customer as it prepares for a
system requirements review and ultimately the system development phase
of the program."

Space Fence is being designed as a successor to the current VHF (very
high frequency) Space Surveillance System radar that has been
monitoring space for 40 years and is becoming obsolete, Raytheon stated
in a news release.

S-band radar is a high-frequency, high-powered radar that offers a
sharper picture of what's happening in space and has also been
developed by the United States for storm tracking and the detection of
missiles through the Aegis system.

Operating on a wavelength of 3.14 inches to 5.9 inches and a frequency
of 2-4 Gigahertz, S-band can pick up objects the size of a golf ball
that could pose a high-speed collision threat to U.S. military and
intelligence satellites. The VHF radar was designed to pick up slightly
larger things the size of a basketball, or the Soviet Sputnik
satellite.

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Earlier, when the system belonged to the Navy, there was,

News Release
United States Navy
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command
Public Affairs and Corporate Communications
4301 Pacific Highway, San Diego CA 92110-3127
Telephone: 619-524-3432/3/4 FAX: 619-524-3469

For Release at 5:00 p.m. ET
Release Nr. CA-2002-027
Monday, September 30, 2002

SPAWAR Awards Space Surveillance System Contract

SAN DIEGO -- Raytheon Company of Sudbury, Mass., is being awarded a
$17,173,912 Cost-Plus-Award-Fee / Firm-Fixed Price /Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee
contract for the modernization and upgrade of the U.S. Navy's Space
Surveillance System, known as the Fence or Space Fence. The upgrade
will replace the Very High Frequency radio transmitters and receivers
currently in use with ones operating at S-band frequencies.

First operational in 1961, the system consists of one primary
transmitter, two auxiliary transmitters, and six receivers, located at
sites spanning the southern United States, forming a Very High
Frequency Continuous Wave bi-static radar surveillance network. It can
detect most satellites that pass over the continental United States
that are larger than about 30 centimeters in diameter (approximately
the size of a basketball). Upgrading the system from VHF to S-band
frequencies will allow detection of smaller objects (about 5 cm),
improve the position accuracy of objects detected, and lead to a more
precise catalogue of orbital data. A mission data processing center is
located at the Naval Network and Space Operations Command in Dahlgren,
Virginia.

The base award covers the design of hardware and software required to
modernize the Naval Space Surveillance System. Completion of this
design effort is scheduled for 2007. This contract includes options for
the completion and operation of one, two, or three surveillance
complexes, together with materials required to upgrade the
mission-processing center at Dahlgren. An additional option includes
development and installation of hardware and software needed to
interface with the Air Force Integrated Space Command and Control
program.

To the extent options may be exercised, the first upgraded complex will
be located at the current space fence site in Jordan Lake, Alabama, the
second site, to be completed in 2008, will be in Lake Kickapoo, Texas,
and the third, to be completed in 2009, in Gila River, Arizona. The
other space fence sites will be gradually phased out of operation.
These sites include Chula Vista, California, Elephant Butte, New
Mexico, Red River, Arkansas, Silver Lake, Mississippi, Hawkinsville and
Tattnall County, Georgia. The work will be performed in Sudbury, Mass.
(60.2%), Andover, Mass. (34.8%), Burlington, Mass. (0.9%), Colorado
Springs, Colo. (4.1%) as well as various government facilities and the
space fence sites and is expected to be complete by 2010, assuming all
options are exercised. If all contract options are exercised, the total
cumulative value of the contract is not expected to exceed
$395,590,366. The contract will initially be incrementally funded with
Research, Development, Test and Evaluation funding in the amount of
$1,087,000. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current
fiscal year. The Navy will use funding from Research, Development, Test
and Evaluation (46%), Other Procurement Navy (28%), and Operations and
Maintenance (26%), throughout the contract's period of performance.

This contract was announced as a competition via the SPAWAR Business
Opportunity Page and the Federal Business Opportunities website
September 5, 2001 and four offers were
received. The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command in San Diego is
the contracting activity (N00039-02-C-2201).

For more information contact:

Industry point of contact: Mr. Robert Bizzotto, 978-440-1000, Raytheon
Company, 528 Boston Post Road, Sudbury, MA 01776.

Space & Naval Warfare Systems Command Contracts Directorate, San Diego,
Contract Specialist: Ms. Heidi Radaford; 619-524-7386 or Mr. John
Sullivan 619-524-7155.

Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command Public Affairs Office and
Corporate Communications Office, San Diego: Mr. Richard Williamson,
619-524-3432 or Ms. Gloria M. Ewing, 619-524-3433.