NG awarded $47 Million contract for Next Gen OPIR Polar Space Vehicles 1 and 2

[Targeteer]

Northrop Grumman Corp. Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, California, has been awarded a not-to-exceed $47,000,000 undefinitized contract for Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar Space Vehicles 1 and 2.  This contract provides for system and payload requirements analysis and risk reduction efforts leading to a system requirements review.  Work will be performed in Redondo Beach, California, and is expected to be completed by June 25, 2020.  Fiscal 2018 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $9,000,000 are being obligated at the time of award. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition.  Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity (FA8810-18-C-0006).

[Star One]

Northrop receives $2.4B contract for two missile defense satellites

The U.S. Space Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a $2.375 billion contract for two Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared satellites that will help provide ballistic missile warning for the military.
Next Gen OPIR is to replace the Space-Based Infrared System, a crucial part of the nation’s missile defense architecture. Utilizing infrared sensors, the satellites will be able to detect and track ballistic missile threats while being more survivable than the legacy system.
The Space and Missile Systems Center plans to have five satellites in the constellation: three geosynchronous satellites built by Lockheed Martin, and two polar satellites being built by Northrop Grumman.

https://www.c4isrnet.com/battlefield-tech/space/2020/05/19/northrop-grumman-receives-24-billion-for-two-missile-defense-satellites/

[Targeteer]

https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/northrop-grumman-and-ball-aerospace-to-develop-polar-orbiting-next-generation-missile-warning-system-sensor

Northrop Grumman and Ball Aerospace to Develop Polar-Orbiting Next-Generation Missile Warning System Sensor

 REDONDO BEACH, Calif. – March 1, 2022 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) and Ball Aerospace will design and develop the two mission payloads for the U.S. Space Force’s Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar (NGP) program.
Northrop Grumman and Ball Aerospace to Develop Polar-Orbiting Next-Generation Missile Warning System Sensor
Northrop Grumman and Ball Aerospace will design and develop the two mission payloads for the Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar program. (Artist rendering)

“NGP combines Northrop Grumman’s proven experience in missile warning and defense with Ball Aerospace’s expertise in optical sensors and mission data processing,” said Sarah Willoughby, vice president, overhead persistent infrared and geospatial systems, Northrop Grumman. “Our team’s solution for NGP will assure continuous coverage of the northern hemisphere – especially the critical Arctic region – to protect against incoming threats.”

In May 2020, the U.S. Space Force awarded Northrop Grumman a $2.37 billion contract for the first phase of NGP program. Together, Northrop Grumman and Ball Aerospace will design and develop the sensor payloads for the two NGP satellites at Northrop Grumman’s site in Azusa, California. The team will also perform systems engineering, flight hardware and ground system design and development, and risk reduction in support of a critical design review.

The two satellites, operating in highly elliptical orbits, will include infrared sensors to detect and track ballistic and hypersonic missiles; an enhanced communication system that will transmit mission data to the ground, allowing decision makers to identify infrared heat signatures of incoming threats; and resiliency features that reduce vulnerabilities to counter-space and cyberattacks.

Northrop Grumman is a technology company, focused on global security and human discovery. Our pioneering solutions equip our customers with capabilities they need to connect, advance and protect the U.S. and its allies. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our 90,000 employees define possible every day.

[Targeteer]

It is a Northrop Grumman "sponsored" post so it may be seen as a free ad...

https://breakingdefense.com/2023/02/overhead-persistent-ir-is-how-hypersonic-and-maneuverable-threats-will-be-tracked/

[Zed_Noir]

IMHO. The Next Gen OPIR constellation of 2 polar orbit and 3 geostationary orbital surveillance platforms seems to be a step backward in operational doctrine. Too few  surveillance platforms to covered platform attrition from whatever cause. A replacement platform takes a lot of lead time and substantial funding.

The DoD is better off with a large constellation of surveillance platforms that can be replenished quickly and cheaply. IMO.

[Skyrocket]

IMHO. The Next Gen OPIR constellation of 2 polar orbit and 3 geostationary orbital surveillance platforms seems to be a step backward in operational doctrine. Too few  surveillance platforms to covered platform attrition from whatever cause. A replacement platform takes a lot of lead time and substantial funding.

The DoD is better off with a large constellation of surveillance platforms that can be replenished quickly and cheaply. IMO.

The military needs to be conservative. They go with a two-pronged strategy. NG-OPIR is a proven concept which provides a reliable early warning system. It might be the last one of this concept, if the constellations are proven to work reliably. But for now the constellations are the unknown. It would be to risky to rely solely on them for the time being.

[gongora]

SDA has already ordered sats to get their tracking layer started.  The shift is underway, just need for the smaller sats to get on orbit and start delivering results.

[Targeteer]

Problems already?

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Space Systems Division, Redondo Beach, California, has been awarded a $235,000,000 not-to-exceed undefinitized contract modification (P00075) to previously awarded contract FA8810-18-C-0006 for Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar Space Vehicles 1 and 2. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $2,147,891,819. Work will be performed at Redondo Beach, California, and is expected to be completed by July 25, 2026. No funds are being obligated at time of award. Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity.

[Targeteer]

https://www.ssc.spaceforce.mil/Portals/3/Press%20Release%20-%20NGP%20SV%20CDR_4_29_2024.pdf

Space Systems Command
Media Release
SUMMARY: Space Systems Command has successfully completed a major milestone for the Next
Genera�on OPIR Polar space vehicle. It has passed the cri�cal design review of over 50 subsystems, its
mission payload and ground system design reviews.
SSC Next Gen OPIR Polar Program completes Space Vehicle CDR
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Space Systems Command (SSC) successfully passed a major milestone, comple�ng
the Next Genera�on Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Polar (NGP) Space Vehicle Cri�cal Design
Review (CDR) on April 25, 2024.
This CDR is the culmina�on of over 50 subsystem, mission payload, and space vehicle design
reviews, and confirms the detailed design maturity and readiness to proceed with system fabrica�on,
coding, assembly, integra�on, and test of the space vehicle. This major milestone for the NGP program
demonstrates the space vehicle’s design will meet the northern hemisphere strategic missile warning
warfighter requirements and counter evolving threats.
“This successful CDR milestone shows the space vehicle meets standards and is on track to
con�nue our launch planning efforts,” said Lt. Col. Nicholas Laliberte, materiel leader for SSC’s NGP
program. “As a major component of our series of checks and evalua�ons, this success boosts our
confidence the program will deliver essen�al capabili�es to the warfighter to counter aggressive ac�ons
from U.S. adversaries. We leveraged and streamlined acquisi�on authori�es on the Next Gen OPIR
program to prototype solu�ons, using available industry capabili�es and mature technology ensuring we
can rapidly deliver improved capabili�es for the warfighter.”
NGP is designed to provide a resilient space-based global missile warning capability against
emerging missile, counter-space, and cyber threats, and will succeed the legacy Space Based Infrared
Systems Highly Ellip�cal Orbit hosted program. Next Gen OPIR con�nues the na�on’s missile warning
mission as SSC and Space Development Agency con�nues to develop the future resilient-missile warning,
tracking and defense architecture.
“The NGP system is a cri�cal cornerstone of our na�on’s deterrence strategy, providing a
strategic missile warning capability with unrivaled performance and resilience against any adversary. As
China and Russia con�nue to modernize, our system provides the Na�on with an unblinking eye that
warns us of impending atacks against our homeland and our allies. It is cri�cal to field these systems
within cost, schedule and with the right technology, allowing our na�on to maintain our strategic
advantages in space,” said Capt. Chris�an Chavez, space vehicle and resiliency lead, SSC NGP program.
Space Systems Command is the U.S. Space Force’s field command responsible for acquiring,
developing, and delivering resilient capabili�es to protect our na�on’s strategic advantage in, from,
and to space. SSC manages a $15.6 billion space acquisi�on budget for the Department of Defense and
works in partnership with joint forces, industry, government agencies, academic and allied
organiza�ons to outpace emerging threats. Our ac�ons today are making the world a beter space for
tomorrow

[Targeteer]

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Space Systems Division, Redondo Beach, California, has been awarded a $93,832,830 contract modification (P00089) to previously awarded contract FA8810-18-C-0006 for Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar Space Vehicles 1 and 2. Work will be performed at Redondo Beach, California. The work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2024. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $2,262,128,864. Fiscal 2024 research and development funds in the amount of $93,832,830 are being obligated at the time of award. Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity. (Awarded June 28, 2024)

[AndrewM]

This was included as one of the topics in the annual GAO Assessment. The launch of the first satellite is targeted for September 2028 and the second in September 2030.

https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-24-106831.pdf Pages 175 & 176 (sheets 187 & 188).

The Next Gen OPIR Polar program is tracking several risks associated with FORGE, including, primarily, FORGE readiness for Next Gen OPIR Polar system-level testing in fiscal year 2026.

If FORGE command and control functions are still immature by the end of fiscal year 2026, the first polar satellite launch is likely to be delayed and program costs are likely to increase.

It added that it continues to be resolute in overcoming challenges to remain on-track for the first space vehicle delivery in 2028. The program stated that it anticipates successful completion of its critical design review campaign in August 2024, at which point it plans to enter the assembly, integration and test phase.

[Targeteer]

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Space Systems Division, Redondo Beach, California, was awarded a $97,348,304 contract modification (P00090) to a previously awarded contract (FA8810-18-C-0006) for Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Polar Space Vehicles 1 and 2 for the additional scope to complete the design, build, integration and testing of mission payload. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $2,301,726,852. Work will be performed in Redondo Beach, and Azusa, California, and is expected to be completed by July 25, 2026. Fiscal 2024 research and development funds in the amount of $39,597,988 are being obligated at the time of award. Space Systems Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California, is the contracting activity.