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SRA International Inc., Fairfax, Va., is being awarded a firm-fixed-price contract for $5.8 million. This action provides for analytical, advisory, management, technical and functional support of 9th Reconnaissance Wing for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance information systems, operations planning, programming, and budgeting activities (e.g. integration, IT network support, systems requirements identification, registrar, training, administrative, scheduling, etc.) in support of the U-2 Reconnaissance Program. At this time, total funds have been obligated; work will be complete October 2007. Headquarters 9th Contracting Squadron, Beale Air Force Base, CA (FA4686-07-C-0005).
Developed in the 1960s by Lockheed’s Skunk Works to fly higher than Soviet missiles could reach (an assessment subsequently proved to be in error), the USA’s U-2 “Dragon Lady” has remained a staple of the US Air Force’s surveillance capabilities ever since. The U-2 was originally slated to be retired by the USAF, but its ability to carry certain key payloads (like broad area synoptic imagery equipment) that the RQ-4 Global Hawk can’t yet match is keeping it in service for now.