The U.S. Air Force recently awarded Lockheed Martin 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 Airborne Launch Control System-Replacement (ALCS-R) program will provide a survivable alternate launch capability for the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs). Slated for fielding by 2024, ALCS-R will continue the ALCS's 50 year legacy of providing assured nuclear deterrence. As a key part of the nation's nuclear modernization, ALCS-R will also provide the capability to command and control the future Ground Based Strategic Deterrent missile system, anticipated to replace the Minuteman III missiles starting in the late 2020s.