DARPA awarded Lockheed Martin a $71 million contract to conduct air- and surface-launched flight tests and other risk reduction activities for the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile, announced the company. Under the terms of this deal, Lockheed Martin will conduct an additional air-launched LRASM flight test from a B-1B bomber in 2013 as well as two surface-launched flight tests of the missile in 2014, according to the company’s March 5 release. Already, under a LRASM phase 2 contract awarded in 2010, the company is set to carry out two air-launched flight tests in 2013, states the release. Under the new contract, the company will also perform electromagnetic compatibility testing of the missile and follow-on captive-carry sensor suite testing. LRASM is based on the company’s JASSM-ER cruise missile. (See also AirSea Battle Weapon)
After months of debate and sometimes public tension, the Space Force and Intelligence Community are making progress on establishing ways to work together, officials said this week—to the point where one predicted there will soon be “a sharing of data like we've never seen before.”