One of the principle contractors to the U.S Department of Defense, Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $1 billion contract to equip all the Aegis class ship with ballistic missile defense systems. This contract in under the continuing Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Weapon System Program, initiated by the Missile Defense Agency of the Pentagon. As per the contract, Lockheed Martin will be responsible for the design, development and installation of ballistic missile defense system in the Aegis class fleet for the U.S Navy as well as overseas clients.

According to Orlando Carvalho (General Manager, Lockheed Martin),

“This contract will both continue the spiral development of Aegis BMD capability to meet expanding global security threats and increase the number of BMD-capable ships at sea by integrating Aegis BMD into the Aegis Modernization program. This further supports the increasing demand for Aegis BMD capability worldwide, especially in light of the Administration’s recent shift in policy in European Missile Defense.”

The Aegis ballistic missile defense system is known to one of the most sophisticated and highly effective systems, that serves as the back bone for the U.S Navy’s defense program. The interceptor missiles in this system are precision guided via the SPY-1 Radar and embedded command and control system. The system is satellite guided and tracked, thereby providing accurate uplink information to the interceptors against incoming ballistic missiles. Due to the state of the art radar, guidance and tracking controls, the Aegis BMD is capable of detecting and taking out not only incoming cruise missiles but can also accurately track missile trajectories while in space.

Via Space Wars.