....to implement the FY 2012 National Defense Authorization Act and FY12 Consolidated Appropriations Act. The Defense Weather Satellite System was created out of the Executive Office of the President restructure of the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System program into separate civil and military space programs in February of 2010.

Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems is the prime contractor for the military DWSS program and is responsible for developing the satellite, including the Visible/Infrared Imager Radiometer Suite provided by a subcontract with Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems. The Air Force Defense Meteorological System Program constellation of satellites continues to provide high-quality and timely weather data to forecasters with two more satellites yet to be launched.