Air Force merges spacelift systems

The Air Force awarded a $24 million contract late last week to Lockheed Martin Corp., to update computer systems at the service's East Coast and West Coast spacelift ranges.

Lockheed Martin's Integrated Systems & Solutions division will merge flight safety, control/display and network systems at both sites. The company's division office in Santa Maria, Calif., will also develop requirements for new spacelift systems, said an April 9 Defense Department contracts statement.

"This equipment will bridge the gap between existing systems and requirements for acceptance of modernized systems," the statement said.

The Air Force already awarded Lockheed Martin $10 million of the $24 million contract. The company will complete the work by September 2008.