"The US Air Force recently awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) an $81 million Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) contract to provide a design and functional prototype to replace the aging Airborne Launch Control System aboard the E-6B Mercury Airborne Command Post," the release said on Wednesday.
"The Airborne Launch Control System-Replacement (ALCS-R) program will provide a survivable alternate launch capability for the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs)," it said. "Slated for fielding by 2024, ALCS-R will continue the ALCS's 50 year legacy of providing assured nuclear deterrence."
The ALCS plans include upgraded radios, launch control systems and secure cryptographic devices that can be upgraded through 2075, the release said.