Three to compete for air and space intelligence work

Three contractors will compete for $600 million in software support and information analysis tasks to support the National Air and Space Intelligence Center over five years, the Air Force has announced.

Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corp., General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems Inc., and Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corp. were selected by the Air Force to compete against each other for tasks to support the center’s Advanced Technical Exploitation Program under the indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, Air Force officials said July 8.

The contractors will compete for tasks such as intelligence analysis, software systems development and support, and research and development of space-based and airborne sensor data, according to a General Dynamics statement on June 9. The tasks will support contingency operations in the war on terror, missile defense and similar initiatives.

The National Air and Space Intelligence Center processes, analyzes and disseminates measurement and signature intelligence data collected from radar, electro-optical sensors and infrared sensors. The information collected is provided to the Defense Department and intelligence agencies.

Northrop Grumman Corp., of Los Angeles, ranks No. 3 on Washington Technology’s 2009 Top 100 list of the largest federal government contractors. General Dynamics Corp., of Falls Church, Va., ranks No. 4 on the list. Ball Corp., of Boulder, Colo., ranks No. 73 on the list.