Lockheed Martin Drama in New Delhi

Lockheed Martin India head takes off in a hurry

Reference: Business Standard

Image: Indian Aerospace

Ambassador Douglas A Hartwick, Lockheed Martin India’s CEO, who was spearheading the world’s largest defence manufacturer’s campaign to sell India the F-16 IN medium fighter aircraft, was withdrawn from India in an unusual hurry. Sources describe Hartwick as “having barely enough time to pack” before catching his flight out of Delhi.

Defence ministry sources say Hartwick was removed as CEO after Lockheed Martin was found in possession of two folders containing classified information relating to defence purchases.

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U.S. Navy submarines to improve interoperability with the global information grid

Lockheed Martin to Upgrade U.S. Navy Submarine Communication Mast Antenna Systems

Reference: Lockheed Martin

Image: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin, in a joint venture with Granite State Manufacturing (GSM), received a $6.9 million contract from the U.S. Navy to design, test and manufacture an upgraded Multifunction Mast Antenna System to improve submarine communications.

Currently, all U.S. Navy submarines operating at periscope depth, including the new Virginia-class attack submarines, use the antenna system as their primary method to communicate with aircraft, surface ships and land-based assets.

The system – designated the OE-538 – provides high performance, erectable mast-mounted communication and navigation capabilities. The upgraded OE-538/BRC Multifunction Mast Antenna System will provide submarine communications with improved performance in the UHF signal band. It also will add LINK 16, Iridium and Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) UHF satellite communications capabilities, while maintaining performance in legacy bands. Lockheed Martin expects to upgrade and return to the fleet at least 12 systems per year over six years. If all options are exercised, the cumulative value of the contract is estimated at $57.6 million.

“Lockheed Martin has provided more than 90 OE-538 systems for the U.S. and allied navies since 1989,” said Joe Rappisi, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s Marion-based business. “This upgrade ensures compatibility with new satellites and evolving communication systems to ensure that submarine forces will remain connected to the global information grid.”

Lockheed to perform radar concept studies for U.S. Navy

Lockheed Martin to Develop Concept for New U.S. Navy Air and Missile Defense Radar

Reference: Lockheed Martin

Image: World Military Forum

The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $10 million firm-fixed-price contract to perform concept studies for the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR), a scalable solid-state radar suite for future surface combatants.

Comprised of an S-Band radar, an X-Band radar and a Radar Suite Controller (RSC), AMDR is intended to significantly enhance a ship’s defensive capability against advanced anti-ship and ballistic missile threats. Lockheed Martin was one of three industry teams to receive AMDR contracts, which will focus on the S-Band radar and RSC during this six-month concept studies phase.

Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will evaluate potential system configurations. Subsequent phases, including technology development, engineering and manufacturing development, production and follow-on support, will be the subject of future competitive procurements.

The work will be performed at Lockheed Martin’s Moorestown, NJ facility.

Lockheed integrates DAGR rockets on Little Birds

Lockheed Martin DAGR Rockets Successfully Fired From Airborne AH-6 Little Bird, Strike Targets

Reference: Lockheed Martin

Image: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin has launched DAGR rockets from an airborne AH-6 Little Bird helicopter and successfully hit the target in two separate trials. This is the second platform DAGR has fired from in the past few months—Lockheed Martin also fired DAGR rockets from the AH-64D Apache helicopter in March.

In preparation for the tests, conducted at the Yuma Army Proving Ground in Arizona, Lockheed Martin engineers mounted the DAGR four-pack launch canister on the outboard rail of a modified XM299 launcher carried by the AH-6 Mission Enhanced Little Bird test platform.
The Little Bird firings were performed as a running fire, using a ground designator, and then self designation using the Little Bird's onboard MX-15D1 targeting system. The DAGR rocket was extremely accurate in hitting the laser aimpoint in both tests.

Because the DAGR system is designed to be compatible with the M299 family of launchers, it offers potential integration on all rotary-wing HELLFIRE platforms, including the Apache, Little Bird, Kiowa, Blackhawk, Cobra, and Tiger helicopters. A mixed loadout of HELLFIRE IIs and DAGRs can be mounted on the same launcher, providing operational flexibility that enables cost-effective multi-mission capability from a single platform.

In 12 successful guided flight tests, the DAGR system has repeatedly demonstrated its precision strike and maneuver capabilities, hitting short- and long-range off-axis targets within minimal distance of the laser-designated aimpoint. This provides Warfighters with increased capability and an expanded engagement envelope.

Extended Support for U.S. Army's Javelin Missile System

U.S. Army Awards Javelin Joint Venture Five-Year $298.6 Million Support Contract

Reference: Raytheon

Image: NSM

The U.S. Army selected the Raytheon Company-Lockheed Martin Javelin Joint Venture to provide life-cycle contract support for the Javelin anti-tank missile and command launch unit. The five-year $298.6 million contract has a fiscal year 2009 funded value of $34.9 million. It requires the Javelin Joint Venture to provide the U.S. Army with depot spares, repair support, training and data.

Javelin is the world's first man-portable, fire-and-forget, medium-range missile system. The compact, lightweight missile is designed for one-soldier operations in all environments.

"The Javelin life-cycle contract support team continues to provide exceptional support to our warfighters with amazing turnaround time for hardware returned for repair or upgrade," said Barry James, vice president of the Javelin Joint Venture. "The team has been able to coordinate shipments in and out of theater to the repair facility and back to the front line in a matter of days. We are committed to providing world-class focused support to ensure combat readiness."

New Counterfire Target Acquisition Radar for the U.S. Army

EQ-36 Radar Delivered After Live-fire Testing at Yuma Proving Ground

Reference: Lockheed Martin

Image: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin has delivered the first Non-Recurring Engineering Enhanced AN/TPQ-36 Counterfire Target Acquisition Radar System (EQ-36) to the U.S. Army. The EQ-36 radar’s delivery on July 2 followed its successful live-fire performance testing against indirect fire from mortars, artillery and rockets from a simulated enemy. The series of tests, held this spring at the Army’s Yuma Proving Ground in Arizona, included engineering, contractor and government acceptance testing.

To accelerate the fielding of the EQ-36 radar, the U.S. Army in June 2008 exercised contract options with Lockheed Martin for 12 additional systems, which will include enhanced performance capabilities. Further, to support the war fighter, delivery of all 12 systems has been accelerated. With production for both orders now running in parallel, the remaining EQ-36 systems will be delivered by fall 2010.