The US Air Force’s National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) has awarded a combined contract to Northrop Grumman, Ball Aerospace & Technologies, Boulder, and General Dynamics to support the advanced technical exploitation programme (ATEP).
The ATEP previously known as the measurement and signature intelligence / advanced geospatial intelligence (MASINT/AGI) programme will help the NASIC ensure that US decision makers and armed forces can accurately monitor and assess the capabilities of its enemy.
The NASIC processes, exploits, analyses, integrates and disseminates the MASINT data collected from radar, electro-optical and infrared technical sensors.
The centre provides techniques for the integrating the MASINT data in defence missions and also supplies them to the intelligence community.
Intelligence analysis, software systems development and support, and sensor exploitation research, and development of space-based and airborne sensor data for supporting the programme will be provided by General Dynamics.
The service contract is valid for a period of five years.
