Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has received a Low Rate Initial Production-V (LRIP-V) contract worth $69.4 million to upgrade 35 of the U.S. Army's existing Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) M270 launchers to MLRS M270A1s. Delivery of the launchers will begin in December 2003 and be completed in June 2004.

The U.S. Army currently has more than 850 MLRS M270 launchers in its inventory, with plans to upgrade more of them to M270A1s. Work on the contract will take place at the company's Camden, Ark., facility.

"This contract is indicative of the long-term partnership Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has with its Army customer," said Ron Abbott, vice president - Fire Support for Missiles and Fire Control. "The M270A1 upgrade demonstrates the Army's confidence in our team and the products we deliver."

The M270A1 program is a major upgrade to the MLRS launcher. It includes an Improved Fire Control System (IFCS) that features a Global Positioning System (GPS), as well as the ability to process large blocks of data from new smart munitions within tactical timelines. Operating and maintenance costs will be reduced because of greater reliability and ease of repair. Operational Testing of the MLRS M270A1 was competed in October 2001.

The system also incorporates the Improved Launcher Mechanical System (ILMS) upgrade, which dramatically reduces the time needed to aim and reload the launcher. In a typical fire mission, the ILMS-equipped launcher is six times faster than the current M270 launcher. Reload time is decreased by more than 30 percent. Crew and launcher survivability will be greatly enhanced because total exposure time on the battlefield will be significantly reduced.

Employing more than 8,500 people, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with additional base operations in Orlando, Fla., and manufacturing and assembly facilities in Sunnyvale, Calif., Chelmsford, Mass., Camden, Ark., Horizon City and Lufkin, Texas, Ocala, Fla., White Sands Missile Range, N.M., and Troy, Ala. The company is a business unit of Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Bethesda, Md.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced-technology systems, products and services.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control