Lockheed Martin Protests Navy’s Next Generation Radar Decision

October 23, 2013 3:11 PM
An artist's conception of the Air Missile Defense Radar (AMDR). Raytheon Photo
An artist’s conception of the Air Missile Defense Radar (AMDR). Raytheon Photo

Lockheed Martin has filed a protest over competitor Raytheon Oct. 10 award of the Navy’s Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) contract , Lockheed Martin officials confirmed to USNI News on Wednesday.

The protest — filed on Tuesday — will now begin a process that could stop work on the new radar until the Government Accountability Office (GAO) decides on the validity of the protest. The process can take up to 100 days before the GAO renders a decision.

Lockheed’s move follows the $386 million award to Raytheon for an S-band AMDR and radar suite controller (RSC) planned for the Navy’s Flight III Arleigh Burke guided missile destroyers. Additional options in the contract could grow the final contract to $1.6 billion.

Lockheed has supplied radars for the Navy’s guided missile destroyers throughout the Aegis program — primarily with its SPY-1 line of radars — back to the early 1980s. Given Lockheed’s longevity with the program, the protest did not come as a surprise.

Naval Sea Systems Command would not comment on the protest other than saying the AMDR the award was the result of, “a full and open competition,” in a Wednesday statement provided to USNI News.

Lockheed said the company, “submitted a technically compliant solution at a very affordable price,” read a company statement on the protest provided to USNI News on Wednesday.
“We do not believe the merits of our offering were properly considered during the evaluation process.”

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone

Sam LaGrone is the editor of USNI News. He has covered legislation, acquisition and operations for the Sea Services since 2009 and spent time underway with the U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and the Canadian Navy.
Follow @samlagrone

Get USNI News updates delivered to your inbox