Lockheed Martin and the crew of two of the Navy's newest Aegis-equipped destroyers, USS Shoup (DDG 86) and USS Preble (DDG 88), successfully completed fleet testing of the newest enhancement to the Aegis Combat System.

"We are very proud of this version of Aegis, but a program is just a program without a crew behind it," said Capt. Kevin Foley, Aegis Program Manager, PEO IWS1B/400B, in a congratulatory note to the ships' commanding officers. "You and your crews have proven yet again what Aegis is all about."

During the Combat Systems Ship Qualification Testing (CSSQT), the ships' Aegis Combat Systems were evaluated for war-readiness through comprehensive testing in the surface, undersea, and air warfare areas. The month-long test consisted of sonar events, torpedo firings, surface and air gun firings, and manned raids in a war-like electronic attack environment. The culminating events provided air defense scenarios where the ships, alone and cooperatively, were required to defend against various high-speed air- maneuvering targets.

The testing also included firing numerous Standard Missile-2 Block III missile variants in a variety of scenarios and electronic environments, as well as multiple successful engage-on-remote track engagements using Cooperative Engagement Capability. In addition, the ship successfully engaged an aerial target in the littoral environment, the first "near land-over-land" engagement.

Both Aegis-equipped destroyers achieved 100 percent scores in air defense scenarios, and the Aegis Weapon System exhibited excellent performance, meeting all CSSQT requirements.

"The success of this testing once again demonstrates the Aegis Weapon System's ability to evolve to meet emerging threats in addition to countering current threats," said Fred Moosally, president of Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems. "Our transformational system continues to provide the naval forces what they need to succeed in any environment."

Following the CSSQT events, the Lockheed Martin-developed Aegis Weapon System successfully guided an Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) from the USS Shoup against incoming targets in tests at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division sea range near Point Mugu, Calif.

The test demonstrated the Aegis Weapon System's capability to launch and guide an ESSM to a successful intercept. The ESSMs were fired from the ship's MK41 Vertical Launch System (VLS), which is built by Lockheed Martin. When outfitted with the U.S. Navy qualified MK 25 Quad-Pack canister, MK 41 VLS is capable of launching four ESSMs from just one missile cell.

The Aegis Weapon System includes the SPY-1 radar, the Navy's most advanced computer-controlled radar system. When paired with the MK 41 VLS, it is capable of delivering missiles for every mission and threat environment in naval warfare. The system can simultaneously track hundreds of targets while defending against multiple incoming aircraft, missiles, submarines, torpedoes and attacking ships, and automatically implement defenses to protect the fleet. Aegis is capable of countering the existing and emerging threats to a naval battle group, as well as striking inland targets.

The SPY-1 multi-function phased array radar, available worldwide to meet the mission needs for a range of ships from corvettes to aircraft carriers, provides U.S. and allied nations with the world's most advanced naval surveillance, anti-air warfare and missile defense capabilities.

The Aegis Weapon System is currently deployed on 64 Aegis-class ships on station around the globe, and 25 more ships are currently planned. In addition to the U.S. Navy, Aegis has been approved for sale to Japan, Spain, Norway and Korea.

As the leading technology solutions provider and integrator to the U.S. government, Lockheed Martin focuses on the defense, information technology and homeland security requirements of the military services and civil agencies. The Corporation's advanced technology solutions draw on world-class capabilities in systems engineering and integration, complex project management, software development and information technology. Lockheed Martin Corporation is headquartered in Bethesda, M.D.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems