The Boeing Co., Huntsville, Alabama, is being awarded a $265,235,164 contract modification (P00033) to the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) development and sustainment contract (HQ0147-12-C-0004/19-C-0004). The total value of the contract, including options, is increased from $10,944,499,963 to $11,209,735,127. Under this modification, the contractor will support the GMD Communications Network Modernization, the in-flight interceptor communications system data terminals technology upgrade, and complete the GMD fire control communication ground systems software build 8 early integration.
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) is the United States’ anti-ballistic missile system for intercepting incoming warheads in space, during the midcourse phase of ballistic trajectory flight. It is a major component of the American missile defense strategy to counter ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) carrying nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads. The system is deployed in military bases in the states of Alaska and California; in 2018 comprising 44 interceptors and spanning 15 time zones with sensors on land, at sea, and in orbit. In 2019, a missile defense review requested that 20 additional ground-based interceptors be based in Alaska.
This work will be performed by an industry team consisting of The Boeing Co., Huntsville, Alabama; Northrop Grumman Corp., Huntsville, Alabama; and L3Harris Corp., Melbourne, Florida. The period of performance is from Dec. 27, 2019, to Dec. 31, 2022. This acquisition was executed on a sole-source basis under the statutory authority of 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), as implemented by Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1, only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. Justification and approval #16-0052 was posted to Fed BizOpps on Sept. 13, 2017.
GMD is administered by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), while the operational control and execution is provided by the U.S. Army, and support functions are provided by the U.S. Air Force. Previously known as National Missile Defense (NMD), the name was changed in 2002 to differentiate it from other U.S. missile defense programs, such as space-based and sea-based intercept programs, or defense targeting the boost phase and reentry flight phases. The program was projected to have cost $40 billion by 2017. That year, the MDA scheduled its first intercept test in three years in the wake of North Korea’s accelerated long-range missile testing program.
