SBIRS is designed to provide early warning of missile launches and support other missions simultaneously - including missile defense, technical intelligence and battlespace characterization.

Since 2001, the SBIRS ground segment has been providing missile detection, battlefield data and technical intelligence from the consolidated Mission Control Station at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado. Air Force crews are providing support to war-fighter and homeland defense initiatives, Operation Iraqi Freedom and the global war on terror.

SBIRS, with its highly sophisticated scanning and staring sensors, will provide improved capabilities to detect and accurately characterize emerging missile threats. LM is under contract to provide two HEO payloads and two GEO satellites, as well as ground-based assets to receive and process the infrared data.

LM has delivered both HEO payloads, and the first GEO satellite launch is scheduled for sometime in fiscal year 2008, which begins Oct. 1, 2007.

"HEO payload data processing will afford greater access to time-sensitive infrared data and is an important step on our path to deliver capabilities for surveillance, intelligence and reconnaissance missions," said John Mengucci, LM's vice president and general manager of Department of Defense systems.

"I really appreciate the strong teamwork between the Air Force and Lockheed Martin to make this event possible," said Col. Bill Possel, director of the U.S. Air Force's SBIRS Combined Task Force. "This is a tremendous milestone for the entire program."

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