New Lockheed Award Boosts Aegis Ballistic Missile Project Cost to $2.4Bln

Lockheed Martin Mission Systems has received a $204.3 million Missile Defense Agency (MDA) contract for Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (ABMD) development, increasing the project's total cost to $2.4 billion, the US Department of Defense announced.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The contract increases the total value of Lockheed Martin’s work on the Aegis program to $2.4 billion and is to be completed by September 30, 2018, the Defense Department added.

"[Lockheed Martin] has been awarded a $204.3 million… contract for Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (ABMD)… development, and the Adaptation of Aegis Ashore efforts," the contract announcement said on Wednesday.

The United States activated an Aegis Ashore base in Romania in May and is planning to launch a second one in Poland in 2018 as part of the European missile shield.