The Pentagon, headquarters for the U.S. Department of Defense. Photo: DOD.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Raytheon a cost-plus-incentive-fee undefinitized contract action for the force element terminal (FET) development effort worth $442 million.

This contract provides for the design, development, testing, integration, and logistical support of a FET system that will transition the B-52 and RC-135 hardened communication terminals from the Military Strategic Tactical Relay satellite communications satellite constellation to the Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite constellation. 

The majority of the work will be performed at Raytheon’s facilities in Marlborough, Massachusetts; and Largo, Florida. The work  is expected to be completed by August 2023. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. At the time of the contract award, $5.8 million is being obligated for Fiscal 2019 and 2020 research, development, test, and evaluation 3600 funds. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, in Bedford, Massachusetts, is the contracting activity.