September 5, 2018 | International, Aerospace
By Stephen Carlson
Sept. 4 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin, General Atomics and Boeing have received contract modifications for drone-mounted Low Power Laser Demonstrator system missile defense testing.
Lockheed Martin's contract has increased to a total value of $37.7 million, while General Atomics and Boeing's have been increased to $34 million and $29.4 million respectively, the Department of Defense announced on Friday.
Work for all three companies will take place in various locations across the United States. The contract modifications come from the Missile Defense Agency and can extend as far as July 2019.
Specifications listed include a flight altitude of at least 63,000 feet, the endurance to stay on station for at least 36 hours after a transit of 1,900 miles, and a cruising speed of up to Mach .46 while patrolling its station.
The aircraft needs to be able to carry a payload between 5,000 and 12,500 pounds and sufficient power generation to operate a 140 kilowatt laser, with the possibility of up to 280 kw or more.
The system must also be able to operate the laser for at least 30 minutes without affecting flight performance, and be capable of carrying a one- to two-meter optical system for the laser.
The Missile Defense Agency is responsible for the defense of U.S. territory and its allies from ballistic missile threats. It coordinates a network of land-based and ship-based missile interceptors, along with radars and satellites to detect and destroy enemy ballistic missiles.
ICBMs are at their most vulnerable during their boost phase. A UAV capable of targeting them before they exit the atmosphere would greatly increase the possibility of intercept, the Pentagon said.
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On 20 November, the Council extended the mandate of the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) in Ukraine until 31 May 2019 and approved a budget of € 32 million for the next 18 months. The European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform Ukraine, EUAM Ukraine, has been deployed since December 2014, with a mandate to support Ukrainian state agencies in the reform of the civilian security sector. The mission is one of the central elements of the EU's enhanced support to the Ukrainian authorities in recent years. EUAM aims to strengthen and support reform in state agencies such as the police, other law enforcement agencies and the judicial sector, particularly the prosecutor's office. The mission provides strategic advice to the Ukrainian authorities, supported by operational activity, including training, to develop sustainable, accountable and efficient security services that strengthen the rule of law. This process is ultimately designed to restore the trust of the Ukrainian people in their civilian security services, which have been beset by allegations of corruption and malpractice. EUAM is an unarmed, non-executive civilian mission with its headquarters in Kyiv and regional presences in Lviv and Kharkiv, as well as soon in Odessa. http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/11/20/euam-ukraine-mission-extended-budget-approved/