The Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB, Calif., intends to award a sole-source contract to Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company to support the operations and sustainment of the Global Positioning System Block IIR satellite fleet from January 2009 through December 2016. The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract will have a one-year base period and seven one-year options. The new deal will be a follow-on arrangement to the current contract with Lockheed Martin that will expire at the end of the year. The fifth of eight Lockheed-modernized GPS IIR spacecraft launched last month.
The United States Air Force is flying less than historic norms and funding for acquisition and readiness is on a path to further hollow out this too small and old force to that is incapable of sustaining an enduring combat air campaign.
