Air Force starts awards on $400M aerospace research contract
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By
Ross Wilkers
More awards are to come after this initial group of three companies.
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman have won initial positions on a potential $400 million contract vehicle to help the Air Force research and develop new aerospace vehicle technologies.
The Air Force received 15 bids for the seven-year Advanced Aerospace Systems Technology Research program with more awards to follow at different dates, the Defense Department said in its Tuesday awards digest.
Contracting documents indicate the Air Force also is focusing on new designs, demonstrations, integrations and transitions of the technologies.
The Air Force wants those capability advancements to be applicable across current and future aerospace systems, according to the solicitation released in April 2022.
Examples of other areas of interest to the Air Force include control sciences, turbine engines and global persistent awareness.