Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. received a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) on March 31 valued at approximately $160 million to manufacture components for eight additional F-2 production aircraft. MHI is the prime contractor for Japan's new F-2 support fighter, which is currently operational in Japan.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. is a business area of Lockheed Martin Corp. .

Lockheed Martin already is producing components for the first 57 F-2 aircraft initiated under six previous annual contracts. This seventh contract brings the total to 65 aircraft, and 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. Lockheed Martin components are shipped to MHI's Komaki- South facility in Nagoya, Japan, where they are assembled by MHI with other components to form the F-2.

"Lockheed Martin's F-2 production activity is going very well as a result of our continuing joint emphasis with MHI on cost, quality and schedule, and our desire to meet the Japan Defense Agency's (JDA) needs," said Orville Prins, F-2 program director at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. "We continue to have a close and cooperative relationship with MHI and the JDA, and we look forward to the future as this important program progresses."

Japan selected the F-16 as the basis for the design of its new support fighter in 1987. In mid-2000, the JDA's Technical Research and Development Institute completed extensive flight tests in Japan of four prototype aircraft designated XF-2. MHI delivered the first production aircraft to the Japan Defense Agency in September 2000. By the end of March 2003, 36 F-2s were delivered to the JDA.

In April 2002, Lockheed Martin successfully concluded activity on the fourth consecutive contract with MHI for Lockheed Martin components on the F-2. The fifth major contract concludes this month, and the company began delivering components per the sixth contract in February. This latest contract is effective immediately with deliveries beginning in March 2004. Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 200 major airframe, avionics and avionics support equipment components in this successful partnership with MHI since component deliveries began in late 1998.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, 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-16, F/A-22, F-35 JSF, F-117, T-50, C-5, C-130, C-130J, P-3, S-3 and U-2.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 125,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2002 sales of $26.6 billion.

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

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

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company