Lockheed Martin [LMT] in late April completed the preliminary design review (PDR) for its Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long Range Radar (3DELRR) prototype, according to a company statement.
Lockheed Martin spokesman Rashi Ratan said yesterday the company demonstrated during PDR that its 3DELRR system could meet the stated performance requirements within cost, schedule risk and other system constraints. Ratan said the Air Force also approved Lockheed Martin’s Allocated Technical Baseline (ATB).
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| Lockheed Martin’s 3DELRR prototype. Photo: Lockheed Martin. |
3DELRR is the Air Force’s future main air defense radar, design to detect both aircraft and missiles. 3DELRR will replace the AN/TPS-75 radar, which has been in service since the 1980s.
The Air Force is expected to release its request for proposals (RFP) for the next phase of the program in August or September. The service will eventually downselect to one contractor for the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase, which is expected to be awarded in the second quarter of fiscal year 2014. Rashi said the critical design review (CDR), an important milestone, will be the first event of the EMD phase.
3DELRR is valued at approximately $1.3 billion.
Northrop Grumman [NOC] and Raytheon [RTN] are Lockheed Martin’s competitors for 3DELRR. Northrop Grumman said earlier this year it would perform a system demonstration of a 3DELRR prototype in July. Raytheon 3DELRR program director Andy Hajek said yesterday the company continues to meet its 3DELRR milestones and it looks forward to providing an affordable, effective solution. Saab Sensis, a subsidiary of Saab, is a subcontractor on Raytheon’s offer (Defense Daily, Feb. 19).
All three companies were awarded $35 million EMD contracts last August. The Air Force said firm fixed-price and/or fixed-price, incentive firm contracts are planned for the EMD periods.