The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $9-million contract for the maintenance of South Korea's reconnaissance aircraft system, the Maryland-based defense firm said Tuesda.

Under the foreign military sales deal, Lockheed will provide South Korea with upgraded services to sustain the Peace Krypton system, it said.

The system is tasked with collecting reconnaissance imagery of selected areas, using militarized business jets and ground stations that process data from the aircraft.

 "Raising the level of sustainment and support continues to be a critical part of our partnership on the Peace Krypton program," said Robert Smith, vice president of C4ISR for Lockheed Martin's Information Systems & Global Solutions.

Lockheed has been providing sustainment engineering and logistics support to South Korea for the system since 1996.

With the latest deal with the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, the company said, it will support the maintenance of the aircraft fleet, which includes spare and repair parts, as well as providing support and test equipment for both the aircraft and its fixed and mobile ground stations. 

Lockheed will also provide software development and software upgrades necessary to modernize the reconnaissance system. (Yonhap)