Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation-Information Systems has been awarded a contract to provide support services for the US Air Force’s (USAF) enhanced polar system control and planning segment (EPS CAPS) contract.
Awarded by the Air Force Space Command’s Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC), the contract has an 18-month performance period and covers provision of EPS systems engineering integration and test support, CAPS design and development of hardware and software, as well as deployment and interim contractor support.
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Northrop Grumman Intelligence Systems division vice president and general manager Dave Ryan said the company will collaborate with the Military Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) System Directorate to deliver the critical national security space programme for the air force.
The EPS CAPS programme aims to offer extremely high frequency (EHF) protected satellite communications (SATCOM) capabilities to forces operating in the North Polar Region in support of the Department of Defense’s (DoD) joint-communication capability requirements.
The EPS system will provide soldiers with secure teletype, voice, email, instant messaging, video, multimedia and data communications capabilities, in addition to facilitating jam-resistant, strategic and tactical communications between forces operating above 65° north latitude.
Designed to deliver telemetry and control, mission planning and crypto planning for the EPS payload, CAPS also enables implementation of payload clock management and over-the-air-rekey of user terminals missions.
Primary work under the contract is scheduled to be carried out at the company’s facility in Redondo Beach, California, while additional CAPS activity will be conducted in Florida, and Needham and Marlborough in Massachusetts, US.
Led by Northrop, the industry team includes General Dynamics C4 Systems, Raytheon, Boecore, Pollere, Monterey Technologies, Meadowgate Technologies, Perales Consulting Group and Affigent.
