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About Lockheed Martin​





Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 114,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

 

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Lockheed Martin Announces Successful First Flight of F-16 Block 70 Aircraft

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F-16 Block 70 first flight

GREENVILLE, S.C., Jan. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] today announced the successful first flight of the F-16 Block 70 at its Greenville, South Carolina site.


The flight occurred Jan. 24 at 9:17 a.m. ET, with Lockheed Martin test pilots Dwayne "Pro" Opella and Monessa "Siren" Balzhiser at the helm. Total flight time was approximately 50 minutes and included airworthiness checks, such as engine, flight control and fuel system checks, as well as basic aircraft handling.



"Today's successful flight is a testament of the hard work, dedication and commitment to our customers and their missions," said OJ Sanchez, vice president, Integrated Fighter Group, which includes the F-16 program. "This milestone demonstrates Lockheed Martin's commitment to advancing this program and getting this much-needed aircraft and its advanced 21st Century Security capabilities to the warfighter."

This F-16 Block 70 jet is the first of 16 jets to be delivered to Bahrain. Six countries have selected Block 70/72 aircraft. In addition to the current official backlog of 128 jets to-date to be built in Greenville, Jordan last year signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for eight jets and last week signed an additional LOA for four more jets. Lockheed Martin has received a contract to begin Jordan's long-lead activities. Bulgaria has also signed an LOA for an additional eight jets for its fleet. Once these are finalized, the backlog will increase to 148.


"Lockheed Martin is fully committed to delivering quality platforms for our customers' critical missions, and I am so proud of our talented team in Greenville," said Danya Trent, F-16 Vice President and Site Lead in Greenville. "This is the culmination of significant development, design, digital engineering, supply chain and production line advances to an already proven platform that will continue to deliver decades of service in support of customers' national security."

Click here for first flight video footage.


About the F-16
The F-16 is a strategic and valuable choice for many customers around the world seeking advanced, 4th generation fighter aircraft capabilities, regional and worldwide partnerships, and affordable lifecycle costs. More than 3,000 F-16s are operating today in 25 countries. The F-16 has flown an estimated 19.5 million flight hours and at least 13 million sorties. Today's latest version, the Block 70/72, offers unparalleled capabilities and will be flown by at least five countries beginning in the mid-2020s.


 

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Aegis Software Delivered Early to the U.S. Navy’s FFG 62 Constellation Class Frigate


The U.S. Navy’s newest class of warship, the FFG 62 Constellation Class lead warship, recently received its first combat systems software package.


This first combat systems software package delivery was made three years prior to the delivery of the FFG 62 and will reduce risk to the Navy’s on-time introduction of the new ship class.


While the software is a variant of Aegis Weapon System Baseline 10 (BL 10), it is tailored to the Frigate’s unique needs and missions and lays the foundation for Aegis weapon system integration.


The Constellation class frigate will serve as the small surface combatant (SSC) component of the Navy’s Force-Level Goal, able to operate in a wide range of environments. As the Navy’s first new class of warship since 2010, the frigate will be equipped with the latest technologies, like BL 10, ensuring the U.S. Navy remains a dominant force across the world's oceans.


 

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U.S. Army Chooses Lockheed Martin To Develop Terrestrial Layer System – Echelons Above Brigade System Prototype



BETHESDA, Md. June 27, 2023 – The U.S. Army has selected Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT)to move on to the second phase of the Terrestrial Layer System (TLS) – Echelons Above Brigade (TLS-EAB) program. In the coming months, Lockheed Martin will build a prototype TLS-EAB system at their facility in Syracuse, New York with critical support from their sites in Owego, New York and Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.


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TLS-EAB will provide critical long-range situational awareness through detection, identification, location, exploitation, and disruption of adversary signals of interest.


“The U.S. Army’s Family of Systems concept is a proven model for developing and delivering converged cyber and electronic warfare technologies into the hands of the warfighter quickly, cost efficiently, with lower risk, and at the speed of relevance,” said Deon Viergutz, vice president of Spectrum Convergence at Lockheed Martin. “Moving into this next phase, we are going to continue to embrace Soldier Touch Points to drive the design while leveraging a proven DevSecOps pipeline and an open architecture that will enable a highly interoperable, configurable 21st Century Security solution that can be easily tailored for specific mission requirements.”


TLS-EAB is designed as part of the multi-platform TLS family of systems specifically developed to support cross-platform collaboration to provide optimized and integrated Signals Intelligence (SIGINT), Electronic Warfare (EW), and Cyberspace support operations to Joint All Domain Operational (JADO) enabled forces.


Lockheed Martin is also under contract on two other programs supporting the Army’s Intelligence and EW modernization efforts, Terrestrial Layer System-Brigade Combat Team (TLS-BCT) and the Multi-Function Electronic Warfare-Air Large (MFEW-AL). These programs spanning both air and ground domains demonstrate one of the first times that three different converged Cyber, EW and Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) programs on separate platforms have been designed with the same common hardware and software architecture, which lays the groundwork for achieving the U.S. Army’s vision to have these systems operate as a true family of systems.


 

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Lockheed Martin Takes Next Step Toward PAC-3 MSE Integration With Aegis Weapon System


MOORESTOWN, N.J., July 10, 2023
– For the first time, Lockheed Martin’s Patriot Advanced Capability – 3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptor successfully communicated with the AN/SPY-1 Radar, a key component in the Aegis Weapon System.


Lockheed Martin is investing in a PAC-3 MSE/Aegis integration that could deliver a proven, Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability with growing capacity to help maritime customers defend against advanced, maneuverable threats.


“This successful test is a major step forward to fully integrate PAC-3 MSE into the Aegis Weapon System,” said Tom Copeman, vice president, Naval Systems, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “A PAC-3 MSE/Aegis integration delivers a hardened defense to maritime fleets on an affordable, rapid timeline.”


Integrating PAC-3 MSE and the Aegis Weapon System first requires Lockheed Martin to modify the PAC-3 MSE Radio Frequency Data Link to communicate with the SPY-1 radar. The SPY-1 radar operates on an S-band frequency, which required Lockheed Martin to convert PAC-3 MSE’s existing dual-band datalink to a tri-band datalink to communicate at S-band. This successful test, funded internally by Lockheed Martin, validates the initial integration of this capability.


PAC-3 MSE’s unmatched Hit-to-Kill capabilities defends against advanced threats including tactical ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and aircraft. Currently, the PAC-3 MSE program is ramping up to 550 MSEs a year, with plans to continue growing. In 2022, Lockheed Martin opened a new 85.000-square-foot-building expansion at the Camden, Arkansas, facility to support increased production capacity for PAC-3 MSE.


SPY-1 radars exist on nearly 100 U.S. Navy Aegis Cruisers and Destroyers, and with proven performance and growing capacity, integrating PAC-3 MSE with Aegis can help sailors stay ahead of evolving threats.


 

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USSOCOM Declares Initial Operational Capability For Lockheed Martin’s New Dry Combat Submersible


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.,
July 24, 2023 -- U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) declared Initial Operational Capability for Lockheed Martin’s Dry Combat Submersible (DCS) last month. This milestone represents a transformational capability for USSOCOM forces in Maritime and Undersea Systems.


"The Dry Combat Submersible has the potential to transform undersea warfare for special operators,” said Gregg Bauer, C6ISR vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin. “DCS provides safe, clandestine delivery for occupants over long distances in a completely dry environment and features a lock-in and lock-out chamber. Occupants arrive at the mission warm, rested, hydrated and ready, making this vessel a key advantage in mission success."


A Deeper Dive



With this capability, U.S. Special Operations Forces traveling extended distances below the surface of the ocean will be safe to do so without a wetsuit and without exposure to the elements. Due to the DCS’s lock-in/lock-out technology, special operators can get in and out of the vehicle while entirely submerged and undetected.


DCS is designed to transport a special operations team to their destination and enables personnel to arrive discretely to their desired exit point.


“The Lockheed Martin team is proud of the work that has gone into the development and delivery of DCS and supporting USSOCOM to this IOC milestone,” says Jason Crawford, senior program manager for Manned Combat Submersibles. “We look forward to delivering the third DCS and supporting DCS into Full Operating Capacity, filling a critical gap for USSOCOM.”


DCS is manufactured in Palm Beach, Florida. Sustainment operations will include lifecycle support, post-delivery logistics support, pilot and special operator training, and training equipment to ensure the safe and effective operation of the new capability in future special forces efforts.


 

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Leveraging High Energy CT Scan Technology Transformations at Lockheed Martin


You don’t have to be a brain surgeon or oncologist to appreciate the many applications of computed tomography (CT) X-ray scanning. The engineers at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) have been harnessing and developing advanced applications of this medical technology for decades to take images and analyze product parts during the development and testing phases to ensure our capabilities work the first time, every time.


“Just like a surgeon uses a 3-D CT scan to detect cancer cells within the human body, our Nondestructive Evaluation Lab engineers rely on the power of 3-D/4-D X-ray CT technology to find discontinuities within parts during the development phase, as we rapidly innovate to solve our customers’ most challenging missions,” said Florence Tindle, MFC Vice President of Engineering.


For more than 20 years, Lockheed Martin has partnered with North Star Imaging (NSI) to provide advanced 2-D digital radiography and 3-D/4-D CT imaging and analysis capability within Lockheed Martin labs. Most recently, the companies have joined together to develop a high-energy, 9-million-electron-volts (MeV) CT 3-D/4-D scan system – the first breakthrough technology of its kind on the southeastern U.S., just off the Space Coast in Orlando, Florida. For comparison, dental offices typically utilize sixty-to-seventy thousand volts (kV) of low energy X-rays for 2-D digital radiography when discovering discontinuities, like cavities, in teeth.

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The new High Energy 9MeV CT system at North Star Imaging in Orlando, Florida.


This new, high-energy system is capable of scanning larger and more dense parts – such as 14 inches of steel – than ever before, allowing engineers to see the unseen sooner. The system has multiple X-ray sources and detectors. Additionally, this system can inspect additively manufactured parts as well as energetic material to support Department of Defense (DoD) projects.


“With this technology, yesterday’s impossible is today’s opportunity, said Brett Muehlhauser, Research and Development Technical Fellow at NSI. “We’re able to share this technology capability with the larger aerospace and aviation business community, to provide real-world solutions that are stronger, safer and even more reliable.”


CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE TRANSFORMATIVE INNOVATIONS ___

MFC has already seen a substantial achievement in cost reduction and an increase in throughput for customers regarding complex geometry castings of advanced alloys in the F-35 Electro Optical Targeting System (EOTS), hypersonics products and additively manufactured parts.


As part of the F-35 blueprint for affordability goal, Lockheed Martin’s skilled and dedicated engineers developed new ways to combine materials that form the F-35 EOTS Azimuth Gimbal Housing. This structure in the EOTS Gimbal line replaceable component supports all moving parts. By combining alloys during the casting process, engineers were able to reduce the cost of the Gimbal subassembly. Through CT scanning examination, our engineers could gain insight into the characteristics of the alloy casting process to confirm this innovative solution worked – and shaved time off the development process. The team realized a savings of approximately $25,000 per unit while also paving the way for the SNIPER® Advanced Targeting Pod to follow a similar casting process and cost savings.

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Lockheed Martin engineers identified approaches to further reduce the cost of manufacturing the dependable, mission critical capability of Javelin for our customers. By using CT X-ray technology, the mechanical engineering team developed a new composite fabrication technique that reduced post-machining cost of the Javelin’s launch tube structure. “The CT showed exactly where we needed to make improvements to reduce entrapped voids between the layers of the carbon fiber and at bond joints in our design phase,” said Dickson, an engineer for the initiative. “We always try to find ways where we can improve affordability for our customers and get them our capabilities even more quickly. CT allows us to do just that.”


In 2017, Lockheed Martin engineers strategized ways to rapidly cool 300+ watts of computer thermal power for the TacIRST detector system within an aircraft. CT X-ray technology was one of the major enablers for the engineers to additively manufacture chassis housing the system to solve this challenge. “With the data richness of CT and the digital thread of Computerized-Aided Design (CAD) to additively manufacture this part, we could deploy this high-quality product quickly for our customer,” said Steven, an engineer working the effort. “Our customers were amazed when we showed them our progress and CT scans during the preliminary design review. We’ve cut a three-year development process down to about six months.”


CONTINUING TO ACCELERATE TRANSFORMATIVE INNOVATIONS ___


These examples of how Lockheed Martin engineers are using high-energy CT are just a few of the many ways we’re utilizing this powerful 3-D/4-D X-ray technology to keep our customers Ahead of Ready. With high-energy CT, the team continues to innovate, maintain and update modern solutions to deliver capabilities quickly when our customers need them most for their rapidly evolving missions.


We’re creating a model-based enterprise with a fully integrated digital thread throughout the design, build and sustainment product lifecycle. Through new innovations and partnerships like NSI and the CT 9MeV X-ray system, we will continue to accelerate transformative technologies and tailored solutions to support our customers’ national security missions.


 

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Lockheed Martin Selected To Develop Nuclear-Powered Spacecraft


DARPA and NASA's Joint DRACO Project Technology Will Help Enable Humans to Travel to Mars

DENVER, July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has won a contract from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop and demonstrate a nuclear-powered spacecraft under a project called Demonstration Rocket for Agile Cislunar Operations (DRACO). The project will represent a rapid advancement in propulsion technology to benefit exploration and national defense.


DARPA partnered with NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate on the DRACO project, as both agencies will benefit from this leading edge technology. The in-space flight demonstration of a nuclear thermal rocket engine vehicle will take place no later than 2027.


Faster, Farther, More Agile

Chemical propulsion engines have long been the standard for spaceflight, but for humans to travel to Mars, they will need much more powerful and efficient propulsion. Nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) engines offer thrust as high as conventional chemical propulsion with two-to-five times higher efficiency, which means the spacecraft can travel faster and farther and can significantly reduce propellant needs. They also enable abort scenarios on journeys to Mars that are not possible with chemical propulsion systems.


"These more powerful and efficient nuclear thermal propulsion systems can provide faster transit times between destinations. Reducing transit time is vital for human missions to Mars to limit a crew's exposure to radiation,"
said Kirk Shireman, vice president of Lunar Exploration Campaigns at Lockheed Martin Space. "This is a prime technology that can be used to transport humans and materials to the Moon. A safe, reusable nuclear tug spacecraft would revolutionize cislunar operations. With more speed, agility and maneuverability, nuclear thermal propulsion also has many national security applications for cislunar space."


Safe and Efficient Nuclear Tech


An NTP system uses a nuclear reactor to quickly heat hydrogen propellant to very high temperatures and then funnels that gas through the engine nozzle to create powerful thrust. The fission-based reactor will use a special high-assay low-enriched uranium, or HALEU, to convert the cryogenic hydrogen into an extremely hot pressurized gas. The reactor will not be turned on until the spacecraft has reached a nuclear safe orbit, making the NTP system very safe.


Lockheed Martin has partnered with BWX Technologies to develop the nuclear reactor and produce the HALEU fuel.


"In the past several years, BWXT has been maturing its nuclear thermal propulsion fuel and design, and we are excited to further expand into space with our ability to deliver nuclear products and capabilities to the U.S. Government, " said Joe Miller, BWXT Advanced Technologies LLC president. "We look forward to building the reactor and manufacturing the fuel at our Lynchburg, Virginia, facilities."


While nuclear systems are an emerging field, Lockheed Martin has a long history and expertise in nuclear controls and has built many of NASA's radioisotope thermoelectric generators for NASA's planetary missions. Lockheed Martin has also invested heavily in cryogenic hydrogen storage and transfer. This key technology will be needed in deep space exploration not only for NTP, but for conventional propulsion systems.


 

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Australia to buy 20 C-130 Hercules aircraft from the US for $6.6 billion


CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia said Monday it will buy 20 new C-130 Hercules from the United States in a 9.8 billion Australian dollar ($6.6 billion) deal that will increase by two-thirds the size of the Australian air force’s fleet of its second-largest heavy transport aircraft.


The announcement follows the U.S. Congress’ approval last year of a larger sale of 24 of the Lockheed Martin-manufactured propellor-driven aircraft.


The United States and Australia are currently conducting their biennial Talisman Sabre military exercise along the Australian coast that this year involves 13 nations and more than 30,000 personnel as global concerns intensify over an increasingly assertive China.


The first of the new four-engine Hercules is expected to be delivered in 2027 and the new aircraft will eventually replace the fleet of 12 Hercules currently operated by the Royal Australian Air Force from RAAF Base Richmond near Sydney, Defense Industry Minister Pat Conroy said.


The purchase “will almost double the fleet and represents a massive uplift in capability, in mobility and transport for the Royal Australian Air Force,” Conroy told reporters.“Almost doubling the fleet gives us more capacity to deploy them on multiple operations at the same time, and that’s the critical driver,” Conroy added.


The Australian air force also operates eight of the larger Boeing C-17A Globemaster heavy transport jet aircraft.


The deal was confirmed ahead of U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken meeting with their Australian counterparts for annual talks late this week in the Australian city of Brisbane.


 

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Lockheed Martin's Next Generation Interceptor Program Completes All Subsystem Preliminary Design Reviews At Accelerated Pace

The Nation's Next Homeland Missile Defense Interceptor Marks Continued Progress Toward Production and Fielding


HUNTSVILLE, Ala., Aug. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) successfully validated designs for all elements of the nation's Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA).


Through a series of successful and on-schedule Preliminary Design Reviews (PDRs) of all NGI major subsystems, the company demonstrated it has achieved design maturity and reduced risk for critical technologies. NGI is the future of the MDA's Ground-Based Missile Defense (GMD) system to protect the U.S. homeland against intercontinental ballistic missile threats from rogue nations.


"Lockheed Martin is making rapid progress with our NGI solution, remaining on an accelerated schedule toward flight testing," said Sarah Reeves, vice president of NGI at Lockheed Martin. "During these reviews, we took a modern and transparent approach through the use of advanced digital engineering and model-based engineering tools. Our NGI team will continue on-plan to demonstrate our revolutionary NGI architecture, leveraging mature technologies for high mission confidence."


Lockheed Martin is demonstrating engineering work that has been performed in the integrated digital tool chain to drive faster decision making, enhance security, and enable rapid delivery and agility. This approach emphasizes affordability across the program lifecycle. Lockheed Martin's NGI solution will increase warfighter capability, providing an improved defensive solution to address the complex battlespace now and in the future.


Lockheed Martin's NGI program is on track for its next major review, the All Up Round PDR. During this next major review, MDA will assess if the program is ready to move forward in the acquisition process through Knowledge Point number one and ultimately on to the Critical Design Review. The first Lockheed Martin NGI is forecast for delivery to the warfighter as early as FY2027.


 

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Sikorsky, PTDI Sign Agreement For Indonesian Black Hawks


WASHINGTON, D.C., Aug. 23, 2023 – Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), announced today the signing of an agreement with Indonesian aerospace firm PT Dirgantara Indonesia (PTDI) to enter into a strategic partnership to pursue a sales agreement of up to 24 Sikorsky S-70M Black Hawk® helicopters for the Republic of Indonesia.


"This agreement demonstrates our mutual interest with PTDI to provide S-70M Black Hawk helicopters to serve Indonesia’s security needs," said Jeff White, vice president of Global Business Development at Sikorsky. “The Black Hawk is designed and built to the toughest military standards, and it can quickly and reliably deliver personnel and supplies to geographically-dispersed populations across a large archipelagic area such as Indonesia.”


The agreement was finalized during Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto’s visit to the U.S. to meet with defense and industry officials in support of Indonesia’s military modernization and interoperability efforts.


“We are confident that this strategic cooperation between PTDI and Lockheed Martin will result in added values gained for PTDI's capability in integration, customization, modification and system upgrade for the helicopter's completion,” said Gita Amperiawan, President Director at PTDI. “In addition, with the opportunity to become an official Sikorsky supplier, PTDI will also be able to expand its aerostructure business.”


Built at Lockheed Martin’s PZL Mielec facility in Poland, the highly sought after S-70M Black Hawk has earned its standing as the trusted utility aircraft for operators worldwide, featuring unmatched multi-mission versatility and military-grade airworthiness capable of operating in extreme weather conditions, day or night.


 

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U.S. Navy Awards Sikorsky Contract To Build 35 CH-53K® Helicopters


STRATFORD, Conn., Aug. 24, 2023 – The U.S. Navy awarded Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company (NYSE: LMT), a $2.7 billion contract to build and deliver 35 additional CH-53K® helicopters – the largest procurement to date for this multi-mission aircraft.


“This contract award for 35 CH-53K helicopters stabilizes Sikorsky’s nationwide supply base, creates additional production efficiencies, and provides the U.S. Marine Corps with transformative 21st century technologies,” said Paul Lemmo, president of Sikorsky. “Our long-standing partnership led to this best value contract award providing the capability and readiness the Marines need.”


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The agreement includes 12 U.S. Marine Corps Lot 7 aircraft, 15 U.S. Marine Corps Lot 8 aircraft, and eight aircraft for Israel.

Sikorsky will begin delivering these aircraft in 2026.

This contract significantly advances Sikorsky and the U.S. Navy on the path toward a multi-year agreement and the 200 aircraft Marine Corps Program of Record.


Eight More CH-53K Special Ops Helicopters for Israeli Air Force

This contract award includes eight additional CH-53K helicopters for the Israeli Air Force and follows the initial production announcement in 2022 for the first four aircraft under a U.S. Navy Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement.


The multi-mission CH-53K will support Israeli special operations programs, as well as provide the Israeli Defense Forces with a platform that has the speed, safety, survivability and gross weight capability to support all of its missions, including troop and cargo transport, and search and rescue.


Focus on Full Rate Production

The U.S Navy declared Full Rate Production for the CH-53K program in December 2022. This is expected to increase production to more than 20 helicopters annually in the coming years.


Sikorsky is procuring long-lead items and critical materials to support ramp up of CH-53K production in its digital factory.


“Our skilled employees are using digital tools to build more efficiently as these helicopters roll off the production line and into the hands of the Marines,” said Dana Fiatarone, vice president, Sikorsky Marine Corps Systems. “The performance of the CH-53K in the fleet validates its capabilities to provide a strategic advantage and shows that even more is possible with this aircraft.”


The CH-53K operated by Marines in the fleet continue to achieve milestones.

  • U.S. Marines exceed 1,000 operational flight hours in the CH-53K.

  • CH-53K completed second successful sea trial.



 

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Lockheed Martin Australia Selected As Australian Defence Force’s Strategic Partner For AIR6500


CANBERRA, Australia
, August 28, 2023 – Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) welcomed today’s announcement by the Department of Defence on being selected as the strategic partner to steward AIR6500 Phase 1 (AIR6500-1).


AIR6500-1 will provide the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with a Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) that will form the ground-breaking architecture at the core of the ADF’s future Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) capability. This first-of-its-kind system will provide greater situational awareness and defence against increasingly advanced air and missile threats, as well as give the ADF increased levels of interoperability with the United States and allied partners.


“We are honoured to be selected as the trusted strategic partner to lead and deliver this important sovereign capability, in partnership with Australian industry, to the Australian Defence Force," said Stephanie C. Hill, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems.


“Australia’s AIR6500-1 program is truly transformational. It will set the blueprint for future military Joint All-Domain Operations across the globe.” She added, “This critical capability will allow the ADF to leverage information from across all domains at greater speeds, with better accuracy and at a greater scale than it is capable of today.”



Since 2015, Lockheed Martin Australia has been highly dedicated to supporting ADF’s vision to transform into a fully integrated and IAMD capable force through AIR6500-1.


“Lockheed Martin is deeply committed to being the ADF’s trusted, long-term sovereign partner for AIR6500-1. To deliver on this key strategic national endeavour, we are leveraging our vast experience delivering battle-proven Integrated Air and Missile Defence systems and harnessing the full might of Australian industry to build a sovereign 21st Century Security capability trusted to defend Australia and its national interests now and in the future,” said Warren McDonald, chief executive, Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand.


“This approach will ensure Australian small to medium enterprises have ‘box seats’ in the global supply chain. The Integrated Air and Missile Defence sovereign technologies being created in Australia today will be exported to the world in the future – unlocking a $83B export market for Australia’s defence industry.”



Lockheed Martin Australia has advanced a sovereign AIR6500-1 system solution that has been built from the ground up in Australia by Australians to safeguard Australia’s national security. To-date, Lockheed Martin Australia has:

  • Validated more than 130 Australian small to medium enterprises as potential partners.

  • Awarded contracts to more than 10 leading-edge companies such as Leidos Australia, Consunet, Consilium, C4I, Silentium, Penten, Lucid Consulting Engineering, and engaged with prime contractors, Raytheon and Boeing, during the risk reduction phase to develop an agile, integrated AIR6500 solution.

  • Committed AUD$74M to establish the nation’s future IAMD ecosystem to accelerate collaboration between academia, industry, Defence, and allied partners on IAMD capabilities. The IAMD ecosystem is expected to create more than 400 direct and 1,000 indirect local jobs.

  • Invested over AUD$100M into AIR6500.

  • Grown its sovereign workforce to over 200 Australian staff now dedicated to AIR6500.

  • Invested over AUD$10M to upgrade its Endeavour Centre to engage, explore, test, design and problem solve together with the ADF and industry through innovation, war gaming, exercises and more.


McDonald added, “We recognise a team approach is vital to the success of AIR6500-1 in building a sovereign Australian IAMD capability, therefore moving forward on program execution the majority of the program workshare will be allocated across Australian industry.”


 

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Lockheed Martin's Transport Layer Satellites Launch As Part Of The Space Development Agency's Tranche 0 Mission


LITTLETON, Colo., Sept. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten Lockheed Martin-built (NYSE: LMT) satellites have successfully been deployed into low-Earth orbit (LEO) in support of the Space Development Agency's (SDA) Tranche 0 Transport Layer (T0TL) mission. SDA's T0TL is a proliferated LEO constellation that will demonstrate low-latency communication and provide a resilient network of integrated capabilities.


The small satellites launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 7:26 a.m. PDT today. Soon after liftoff, SDA confirmed separation of all 10 of the Lockheed Martin-built satellites from the launch vehicle.


"Lockheed Martin is proud to be part of SDA's mission to rapidly bring a threat-driven, resilient set of integrated space capabilities to life," said Joe Rickers, Lockheed Martin's vice president for Protected Communications. "We look forward to contributing more of our expertise to this mission to strengthening deterrence and deliver advanced military capabilities in space."


Each satellite incorporates a Terran Orbital bus and payload processors and is equipped with SmartSat™, Lockheed Martin's software platform that makes it easier to dynamically add and quickly change missions in orbit through simple app uploads. The satellites also host Link 16 radios to introduce a terrestrial-proven network in space. Link-16 will enable sensor-to-shooter targeting by connecting systems that include fighter aircraft and Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) networks.


Lockheed Martin is currently building 42 satellites for SDA's Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) and was recently awarded an agreement to build 36 of SDA's 72 Beta variant satellites for its Tranche 2 Transport Layer (T2TL) constellation. The T1TL and T2TL Beta satellites will be assembled, integrated, and tested in Lockheed Martin's new small satellite (smallsat) processing facility that is designed for the high-volume delivery of complete satellites.


Lockheed Martin is partnering with the best minds in the industry to support SDA's mission to provide resilient national security space capabilities through a revolutionary approach of proliferation and spiral development. A diverse supplier base and small business partnerships, in addition to streamlined smallsat processing methods, enable the company to accelerate technology innovation and delivery.


 

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Javelin Joint Venture Signs Agreement For Industrial Production Cooperation In Poland


KIELCE, Poland (Sept. 06, 2023)
– Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) and the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV), a partnership between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding production of the Javelin anti-tank weapon system in Poland.


“Poland views the Javelin Joint Venture as a key strategic partner, and this agreement further strengthens our relationship with Raytheon and Lockheed Martin,” said Sebastian Chwalek, president of the PGZ management board. “The strategic joint discussions and decisions leading to this agreement demonstrate the potential for fruitful long-term cooperation.”


Intended to support increasing current and future inventory demand due to regional security concerns in Europe, PGZ and the JJV have signed the MOU to explore the establishment of a final assembly facility and component production capabilities in Poland. This agreement will stabilze future production of the Javelin system for U.S. forces while providing unique opportunities for Polish industry.

“Together with PGZ, we are exploring a number of opportunities to leverage the resident skills and expertise of Polish industry for Javelin co-production,” said Andy Amaro, president of the Javelin Joint Venture and Raytheon’s Javelin program director. “With growing demand for Javelin, these new industry partners can play a vital role in supporting the production and delivery of this combat-proven, fire-and-forget weapon system to the global Javelin community.”


In June of 2021, Poland’s Territorial Defence Forces (TDF) completed Javelin Operator Training and were certified to maintain and operate Javelin, as well as conduct their own operator training. After completion, the TDF’s newly trained Javelin operators fired Javelin missiles during a live-fire demonstration in Torun, Poland.


“This partnership will strengthen our relationship with Poland and ensure they have the deterrence capabilities needed to support their national security,” said Dave Pantano, Javelin Joint Venture vice president and Lockheed Martin Javelin program director. “The MOU allows us to develop a strategic long-term international partnership with PGZ and create a win-win scenario for both Poland and the U.S. to supply our customers with Javelin’s proven capabilities.”


Javelin is developed and produced by the JJV between Raytheon in Tucson, Arizona and Lockheed Martin in Orlando, Florida. To date, the JJV has produced more than 50,000 Javelin missiles and more than 12,000 reusable Command Launch Units. Javelin is currently in service with 23 countries. Poland was the first international country to receive the Javelin F-Model missile variant.


 

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Lockheed Martin Statement: First TR-3 Delivery​


We have updated our F-35 TR-3 schedule projections with a first TR-3 aircraft delivery between April and June 2024. As a result, we now expect to deliver 97 aircraft in 2023, all in the TR-2 configuration. We are producing F-35s at a rate of 156 per year and expect to continue at that pace while simultaneously working to finalize TR-3 software development and testing. Additionally, we remain focused on receiving the necessary hardware from our suppliers to deliver this critical combat capability for the F-35.


 

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Lockheed Martin Opens Futuristic Satellite Operations Center Test Bed


Littleton, Colo., Sept. 11, 2023
– Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) today announced the opening of its Operations Center of the Future, a technology test bed showcasing how tomorrow’s satellite operators will be able to manage multiple space missions simultaneously using a web-based, secure cloud infrastructure.


The Lockheed Martin self-funded, futuristic operations center, located on the company’s campus near Denver, Colo., utilizes its proven Compass™ Mission Planning and Horizon™ Command and Control (C2) software. This software has already flown more than 50 spacecraft, performing government, research and commercial space missions. The powerful ground system allows for the management of single satellites – or entire constellations of similar or entirely different satellite types – by a single operator at the same time, from almost anywhere.


The Operations Center of the Future’s next-generation AI, automation and cloud capabilities enable operators to remain closer to the mission than ever before, regardless of their physical location,” said Maria Demaree, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Space’s National Security Space business. “Remote operators can instantly receive timely mission alerts about satellite operations, and then securely log-in to make smart, fast decisions from virtually anywhere.”


The innovative test bed first proved its concept of operations earlier this year by successfully flying the company’s In-space Upgrade Satellite System (LM LINUSS™) demonstrator, which proved how small satellites can help upgrade and sustain space architectures with new capabilities.


The center’s automation and artificial intelligence/machine learning capabilities allow it to manage satellite constellations of almost any size. The center’s flexibility allows for minimal staff requirements as operators can use the same baseline software regardless of mission, and enables “lights out” operations by providing remote operation agility and resiliency.


The Operations Center of the Future is also expected to command and control the company’s upcoming Pony Express 2, TacSat, and future LM 400 on-orbit tech demonstration missions.


 

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Lockheed Martin UK Launches Team Black Hawk For UK’s New Medium Helicopter Requirement

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LONDON, Sept. 12, 2023 – Today at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exhibition, Lockheed Martin announced its intention to participate in the UK Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) New Medium Helicopter (NMH) requirement. It outlined its team of UK partners and the benefits of choosing the advanced, Sikorsky Black Hawk® helicopter to replace the UK’s aging mixed medium helicopter fleet. Lockheed Martin also outlined its plan to collaborate with those UK partners to create a multitude of opportunities for UK industry, including jobs and opportunities in export, manufacturing and future technology development.


Lockheed Martin estimates nearly 40% of total Black Hawk production and assembly will occur in the UK and will support, on average, 660* UK jobs a year between 2025 and 2030.


The plan also creates ~£470 million of export opportunities for UK partners manufacturing sub-systems and components over the next 10 years, equivalent to 40% of the Total Programme Value, based on the expected export market to Black Hawk customers. The company’s estimate includes ongoing fleet sustainment that will support approximately 320 jobs a year for decades to come when the UK Black Hawk fleet is in-service.


On announcing Lockheed Martin UK’s proposal, Chief Executive Paul Livingston said:

“The newest generation of the Black Hawk is proven, versatile and ready now. It’s not only the right choice for UK Defence, it’s the right choice for UK industry and it will create a generation of high-skilled jobs here in Britain.”


Furthermore, UK participation in the Black Hawk programme would open the door for UK industry to take part in the development and production of Lockheed Martin’s next generation rotorcraft solutions, creating a potential 45-year pipeline of work and exports for UK companies.


Creating Jobs in the UK

As part of today’s Team Black Hawk announcement, Lockheed Martin formally signed a teaming agreement with Gosport-based StandardAero as Team Black Hawk’s aircraft assembly, testing, delivery, maintenance and integration partner for UK-unique equipment and systems, which will bring highly skilled jobs to an economically deprived area of the UK.


StandardAero in Gosport will be the home of the Black Hawk in the UK and together with Lockheed Martin, Martin-Baker Aircraft Company in Denham, Curtiss-Wright in Christchurch, Chelton in Marlow, Inzspire in Lincoln, C3iA Solutions in Poole, Nova Systems in Filton, and Ascent Flight Training & CAE at RAF Benson will create 660 high-skilled jobs and decades of UK workshare through the UK Black Hawk’s lifecycle.


“StandardAero is delighted to be teaming with Lockheed Martin UK on this once-in-a-generation helicopter programme. For StandardAero UK it will mean upwards of 175 new, highly skilled, jobs in one of the more economically deprived local areas of the UK, with many more throughout our UK-based supply chain,” said Simon Jones, StandardAero Group Managing Director, Europe.


The Black Hawk will be assembled in the UK to meet the MOD’s specific requirements by a team of industrial partners including StandardAero. Lockheed Martin examined all potential partners for the assembly aspect of Black Hawk in the UK and concluded that StandardAero was the most experienced and capable partner.


The Black Hawk fleet will sustain UK jobs across the nation, including areas where levelling up is a critical need. In addition to providing a proven, advanced, affordable and interoperable helicopter platform that delivers unparalleled performance to the MOD, Lockheed Martin will fulfill provisions of the contract with its UK industry partners for robust training capabilities, maintenance and spares packages, component integration, as well as overall programme management.


Black Hawk is the Right Choice

The Black Hawk has earned its standing as a trusted helicopter for operators worldwide, along with its advanced digital avionics, unmatched multi-mission versatility and military-grade airworthiness. Other advantages of the aircraft include:



  • The Black Hawk is designed and built to rigorous military requirements and is easily maintained during remote and deployed operations and is capable of operating in extreme weather conditions, day or night.

  • Already in service with 35 nations, including NATO partners, it has flown an unprecedented 15 million flight hours, with five million of those hours in combat conditions. The UK will also benefit from the interoperability across the allied services.

  • As a 100% military helicopter, its operating and support costs are considerably less than more fragile commercial aircraft pressed into military use.

  • With more than 5,000 Black Hawks delivered worldwide, the global network of spare parts and services, combined with Lockheed Martin’s industry plan for sustainment in the UK, will allow the UK to take advantage of a robust supply chain.

  • The Black Hawk currently delivers an average of 90% availability to its operators.

  • Continuous modernisation efforts and strong U.S. Army support will see the Black Hawk sustained and in operation well into the 2070s.


Today’s announcement comes as Lockheed Martin and its competitors await the MOD’s formal issuance of the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN).



 

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OSIRIS-REx Sample Capsule Safely Touches Down With NASA's First-Ever Asteroid Sample


The NASA mission – designed, built and flown by Lockheed Martin – aims to uncover new learnings about the building blocks of life in our solar system


UTAH TEST AND TRAINING RANGE, Utah, Sept. 24, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a rapid and red-hot descent through Earth's atmosphere, NASA's OSIRIS-REx sample return capsule touched down in the desert at 8:52 a.m. MT today, returning NASA's first-ever asteroid sample. The capsule is estimated to hold about a cup of material from Bennu, a carbon-rich asteroid. Scientists hope it will teach us more about the origin of organics that led to life on Earth and help us better understand planet formation.



Just prior to landing, the capsule entered the atmosphere traveling more than 27,000 mph. It then gently landed in the sands of the U.S. government's Utah Test and Training Range.


A specialized recovery team led by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] – who designed, built and currently flies the mission for NASA – comprising representatives from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Johnson Space Center, the University of Arizona, then secured the capsule.


"The landing was safe, recovery was a huge success, and we're thrilled that the next phase of this mission can now begin," said Kyle Griffin, vice president and general manager of Commercial Civil Space at Lockheed Martin. "This particular sample return is monumental – scientists are about to open a time capsule with some of the earliest history of our solar system inside."


After approaching the capsule landing area in helicopters, the recovery team carefully searched for any hazardous material, sampled the neighboring soil, wrapped the 100-lb capsule in protective material, and attached it for transport with via helicopter to an on-site cleanroom at the range. There, the sample is being processed for shipment on a military aircraft to curation team members at NASA Johnson in Houston, Texas, who will make it available for study.


In total, about 60 people from NASA, the University of Arizona, Lockheed Martin and range personnel took part in the capsule landing and recovery efforts, plus a team of about 25 engineers operating the spacecraft from Lockheed Martin's Mission Support Area in Denver.


Advanced Exploration Technology Testbed
The OSIRIS-REx mission pioneered key technologies relevant to the future exploration of small bodies in our solar system, beyond its immediate follow-on mission. They include:

  • Specific techniques for operating in microgravity




Next Stop: Apophis

Following today's successful landing and showcase of key technologies, OSIRIS-REx will now be dubbed OSIRIS-APEX and enter its extended mission phase, beginning its journey to its follow-on mission target: near-Earth asteroid Apophis.

To date, OSIRIS-REx's major mission milestones include:

  • Launching on Sept. 8, 2016, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

  • Arriving at Bennu on Dec. 3, 2018, where it conducted a two-year detailed survey of the asteroid.

  • Extracting a sample from the asteroid by "tagging" it on Oct. 20, 2020.

  • Departing the asteroid to head back to Earth on May 10, 2021.


 

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Lockheed Martin Conducts First Flight In U-2 Avionics Tech Refresh

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First flight enhances U-2 capabilities needed for the next generation battlespace.


PALMDALE, Calif., Sept. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® (NYSE: LMT), in partnership with the U.S. Air Force, completed the first flight of the U-2 Dragon Lady's Avionics Tech Refresh (ATR) program.


The successful first flight tested the new advanced capabilities aboard the U-2 as part of the ATR contract, including:

  • An updated avionics suite (communications, navigation, display, etc.) that modernizes the U-2's onboard systems to readily accept and use new technology.

  • A new mission computer designed to the U.S. Air Force's open mission systems (OMS) standard that enables the U-2 to integrate with systems across air, space, sea, land and cyber domains at disparate security levels.

  • New modern cockpit displays to make pilot tasks easier, while enhancing presentation of the data the aircraft collects to enable faster, better-informed decisions.

During this mission the aircraft successfully performed a low-altitude functional check flight to integrate new avionics, cabling and software.


"The successful first flight of the U-2 Avionics Tech Refresh is a significant moment in our journey to rapidly and affordably field new capabilities," said Sean Thatcher, U-2 Avionics Tech Refresh program manager at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. "Leveraging the platform's open architecture, we're expediting these capabilities needed for the future Joint All-Domain Operations battlespace."


The ATR first flight marks a milestone in the U-2's modernization efforts and its path to be the first fully OMS-compliant fleet. Further testing will solidify a mature software baseline before mission systems are introduced to ensure both functionality and interoperability to meet operational needs.


The U-2 ATR contract was awarded by the U.S. Air Force in 2020 and valued at $50 million.


 

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