The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awarded Modern Technology Solutions Inc. (MTSI) a $10 million modification Oct. 23 to increase a contract ceiling under an effort to develop models of new interceptor and sensor concepts for missile defense development.

The modification raises the value of a 2014 contract to almost $35.5 million. The work aims to develop new interceptor and sensor concepts; algorithms spanning the breadth of functionality of interceptor and sensor on-board systems; and high-fidelity closed-loop simulations of interceptors, sensors, and tools and techniques for defining, executing, and aggregating large high-fidelity data sets.

MDA Director Gen. Sam Greaves told sister publication Defense Daily that this new contract provides the agency with modeling and simulation tools needed to quickly assess new missile defense technologies and concepts before initiating programs of record.

“This contract provides a range of modeling tools and analytical techniques that improve our ability to assess technologies and concepts prior to the start of acquisition programs,” Greaves said in an emailed statement.

The director highlighted this saves MDA time and money by allowing them to conduct complex modeling without needing to invest in new hardware.

Greaves also said the funding increase will help incorporate more complex analysis tools into the MDAs modeling and simulation efforts.

“The speed at which the threat is evolving requires us to test new concepts and technologies more quickly, and this contract provides additional tools to allow us to conduct that testing more rapidly,” Greaves said.

The modification does not change the original ordering period, which runs from Aug. 2014 through Aug. 2019.