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Lockheed Martin Integrated Systems and Solutions in San Jose, CA received a $2.02 billion cost-plus award fee contract for the Transformational Satellite (TSAT) Communications’ ground-based Mission Operations System (TMOS).
Consortia led by Raytheon and Northrop-Grumman had also been competing for this award. So what’s TMOS all about?
TMOS is expected to provide operational and network management for the TSAT Space and Ground communications segments, connecting the USA’s future TSAT SS ultra-high-bandwidth satellite backbone into the US military’s future Global Information Grid.
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The TMOS network will give the U.S. military’s overall Transformational Communications Architecture (TCA) the ability to act as a broadband, on-demand global Internet based on IP, incorporating key emerging network technologies like quality of service provisioning and bandwidth guarantees in the bargain. TMOS will provide circuit/packet mission planning and policy management, external network coordination, network operations and management, key management, and Situational Awareness-Common Operational Picture in a secure environment, fully incorporating cyber-security.
The Pentagon says that awarding TMOS now decreases TSAT program risk by providing an integrating construct for network architecture and design, and allows the awarded contractor to begin work on formal network interface definitions and specifications. Earlier in the competition, Raytheon spokespeople had also noted that TMOS stations could be built before the satellites are launched in 2013, and used in conjunction with existing resources as part of the Global Information Grid Bandwidth Extension project.
Solicitations for this contract began May 2005, negotiations were complete in December 2005, and work will be complete by September 2015. Public affairs point of contact is Jo Adail Stephenson, (310) 363-1220, or Peggy Hodge (310) 363-2581. The Headquarters Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base, CA issued the contract (FA8808-06-C-0003).
UPDATES
June 8/09: Pentagon DefenseLINK:
“The Air Force is terminating for convenience the Transformational Satellite Communications System Mission Operations System contract with Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Services of San Jose, Calif., for $2,020,430,440. The contract termination is a result of the Department of Defense cancelling the TSAT Program in accordance with the priorities of the FY10 President’s Budget.”
This statement effectively cancels the Jan 27/06 contract to build the TMOS ground system. Some funds will already be spent, of course, and exact termination costs for the remainder of this work will be a matter for negotiation between the USAF and the Lockheed Martin led TMOS team.