SBIRS Increment 2 completes development
Lockheed Martin has completed the development of its next-generation Increment 2 ground system for the US Air Force's Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS), it announced on 11 May.
The has company successfully integrated significant software and hardware into the station, completing the development phase and is now moving onto certification testing. Once operational, Increment 2 aims to increase SBIRS' ability to manage emerging threats while reducing air force operations and maintenance costs.
The completion of development comes after the successful live commanding of Defense Support Program (DSP) and SBIRS satellites and payloads earlier in 2015 during a three-day test.
The legacy ground system operates from three locations to manage DSP, SBIRS Geosynchronous Orbit satellites and Highly Elliptical Orbit hosted sensor payloads. The Increment 2 ground station will consolidate these operations into a single control station.
David Sheridan, vice president and SBIRS program director, Lockheed Martin, said: 'Increment 2 is on target to replace the legacy system by 2016 with significant performance improvements.
'Consolidating operations into a centralised SBIRS ground system will enable warfighters to more efficiently monitor worldwide threats and alert responders for immediate action.'
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