Lockheed Martin continues refining its technology solution for Space Fence, a program that revamps the way the U.S. Air Force & U.S. Space Force identifies and tracks objects in space. The U.S. Air Force selected Lockheed Martin in 2015 to build a $USD 914 million / CAD $1.285 billion   Space Fence Radar to Safeguard Space Resources.

Lockheed Martin’s Space Fence solution, an advanced ground-based radar system, enhances the way the U.S. detects catalogs and measures more than 200,000 orbiting objects and tracks over 25,000 orbiting objects. With better timeliness and improved surveillance coverage, the system protects space assets against potential crashes that can intensify the debris problem in space.

“Space Fence locates and track space objects with more precision than ever before to help the Air Force transform space situational awareness from being reactive to predictive.”

Lockheed Martin delivered up to two advanced S-Band phased array radars for the Space Fence program. The Space Fence radar system greatly improves Space Situational Awareness of the existing Space Surveillance Network.

Construction of the new Space Fence system on Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands began in February 2015 to meet the program’s 2018 initial operational capability goal. With more than 400 operational S-band arrays deployed worldwide, Lockheed Martin is a leader in S-band radar operation. The Lockheed Martin led team, which includes General Dynamics and AMEC, has decades of collective experience in space-related programs.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 113,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

On 16 December 2002, US President George W. Bush signed National Security Presidential Directive which outlined a plan to begin deployment of operational ballistic missile defense systems by 2004.

The following day the US formally requested from the UK and Denmark use of facilities in RAF Fylingdales, England and Thule, Greenland respectively, as a part of the NMD Program.

The administration continued to push the program, despite highly publicized but not unexpected trial-and-error technical failures during development and over the objections of some scientists who opposed it. The projected cost of the program for the years 2004 to 2009 was 53 billion US dollars/ 74.55 billion CAD dollars, making it the largest single line in The Pentagon’s budget. For the Silo, George Filer.