HUNTSVILLE — Communications technology for its Next Generation Interceptor reached a milestone during a recent prototype test, Lockheed Martin announced.
Sarah Reeves, vice president and program manager of Lockheed Martin’s NGI program, said the testing enables the company to learn where the NGI’s development stands as it moves forward.
“Early demonstrations like this allow us to learn as we go and manage risk,” said Reeves. “This milestone continues the NGI team’s successful early and often testing cadence of critical technologies within our digital system design as it matures in alignment with our Developmental Evaluation Framework.”
Through prototype testing at Lockheed Martin’s California facility, the interceptor’s communications system operated through harsh and adversarial environments it may encounter during flight, the company said in a news release.
In the release, Lockheed Martin, which houses its NGI program-related operations in Huntsville, said the NGI and its components must be able to receive and share data throughout the mission across vast distance. The company said the interceptor must travel at tremendous speed through inhospitable environments.
Lockheed Martin said its NGI team is carrying out operations with a sense of urgency.
“The NGI team incorporated rapid prototyping, in connection with Austin, Texas, small business X-Microwave, a Quantic company, delivering hardware platforms for software-defined radio development in weeks, rather than months, allowing for faster design evolution,” the release said.
The first Lockheed Martin NGI is forecast for delivery in fiscal year 2027, the company said in its announcement.
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