Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), the prime contractor for Japan's new F-2 support fighter, has awarded a fifth annual contract to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. for tasks in the manufacture of an additional nine F-2 production aircraft.

Lockheed Martin already is producing components for the first 36 aircraft under four previous annual contracts. This fifth contract, which began April 1 and is valued at over $180 million, brings the total to 45 aircraft. Under this contract, Lockheed Martin will continue to provide all the aft fuselages, wing leading-edge flaps and stores management systems; 80 percent of all left- hand wing boxes; and other avionics and avionics support equipment.

In July 2000, Lockheed Martin successfully concluded activity on the second major contract and is currently delivering products required in the third contract. Lockheed Martin components are shipped to MHI's Komaki-South facility in Nagoya, Japan, where they are assembled with other components by MHI to form the F-2.

"Lockheed Martin continues to be very proud of its long-standing role in the F-2 cooperative program, and the F-2 team at LM Aeronautics is dedicated to continue to deliver the highest quality products, on schedule, to its customer, MHI," said Charles E. Doyle, F-2 program director at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. in Fort Worth. "We have delivered over 100 major airframe, avionics and avionics support equipment components to MHI since we began our production deliveries in late 1998."

Japan selected the F-16 as the basis for the design of its new support fighter in 1987. The Japan Defense Agency's Technical Research and Development Institute this past summer completed extensive flight tests in Japan of four prototype aircraft, designated XF-2. MHI delivered the first production aircraft to the Japan Defense Agency (JDA) in a ceremony at its Komaki-South facility in September 2000. By the end of March 2001, 18 F-2s were delivered to the JDA.

Lockheed Martin was the principal U.S. subcontractor during development and also has that role in the production of the F-2. The JDA plans to purchase 130 F-2s.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. is a leader in the design, development, systems integration, production and support of advanced military aircraft and related technologies. Its customers include the military services of the United States and allied countries throughout the world. Products include the F-22, F-16, F-117, C-5, C-27J, C-130, P-3 and U-2. The company leads a team competing for the development and production of the Joint Strike Fighter.

LM Aeronautics is a unit of Lockheed Martin Corp. , headquartered in Bethesda, Md. Lockheed Martin is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced-technology systems, products and services. The corporation's core businesses are systems integration, space, aeronautics and technology services.

For information on Lockheed Martin Corporation, visit: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/

For information on Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, visit: http://www.lmaeronautics.com/

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company