Boeing and industry partner Northrop Grumman have received the development and sustainment contract (DSC) from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency for future work on the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the United States' ballistic missile defense system.

"This award is the culmination of a two-year proposal process that brought together a broad industry group committed to delivering innovative solutions and a cost-effective approach to program management and execution," said Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space and Security.

"We are privileged to have been partners with the Missile Defense Agency through development and deployment of the GMD system, and now with Northrop Grumman, we are honored to continue that partnership in this next phase of the program."

Under the DSC, Boeing will continue to lead the industry team for GMD development, integration, testing, operations and sustainment activities, building on the company's experience of supporting the Missile Defense Agency as prime contractor for the program since 2001. As strategic partner, Northrop Grumman will oversee the ground system elements, as well as provide key support in operations and sustainment, system engineering and system test.

"The DSC ushers in a new era for the GMD program, and our partnership with Boeing brings together the very best minds in the industry for this national security capability," said Wes Bush, chairman, CEO and president, Northrop Grumman.

"By combining Northrop Grumman's 50-year experience and success on the nation's Minuteman ICBM program with Boeing's heritage GMD leadership, we provide the optimum mix of integrated development and sustainment capabilities for a system that demands nothing less."

The Boeing-led team currently operates and sustains the deployed GMD weapon system while developing and testing new technologies to provide increased reliability and to meet evolving customer needs and requirements. Northrop Grumman has been part of the team since 1998, responsible for designing and deploying the command-and-control systems that form the backbone of the GMD ground system.

"In selecting the Boeing and Northrop Grumman GMD team, the Missile Defense Agency retains the knowledge, skill and expertise of the world-class men and women who developed this one-of-a-kind system - the only industry team capable of affordable innovation for GMD's future," said Norm Tew, Boeing vice president and program director of GMD.

"We believe the government conducted a fair and open competition, making the right decision for the future of the program."

An integral element of the Global Ballistic Missile Defense System, GMD uses radars, other sensors, command-and-control facilities, communications terminals and a 20,000-mile fiber optic communications network.

There are more than 20 operational interceptors at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and Fort Greely, Alaska, to defend the United States against long-range ballistic missile threats.