Lockheed Martin today announced that L-3 Communications has joined its team to develop the U.S. Army's next generation Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) system, known as the Aerial Common Sensor (ACS).

The Lockheed Martin-led team is currently conducting architecture development activities as part of a 15-month Component Advanced Development contract awarded in 2002. Lockheed Martin was one of two contractors selected in 2002 to continue development of the ACS system as a result of a competitive Concept Exploration design phase.

L-3 Communications' role for the System Design and Development phase will include systems engineering and support, aircraft modification, integration and testing, communications, and interoperability.

The ACS system is designed to replace the Army's GUARDRAIL/Common Sensor and the Airborne Reconnaissance Low Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems. The ACS is designed to carry multiple intelligence sensors, providing a synergistic system that will be rapidly deployable, tailorable to the specific needs of the war-fighter in the field, and can be scaled to meet the needs of the land force commander. The ACS system is a key element in the Army's transformation to the Objective Force of the future.

"We are very pleased with the addition of L-3 Communications to our ACS team. They strengthen our ability to provide the Army cutting edge and state- of-the-art solutions to the Army's ACS requirements," said Wes Colburn, deputy vice president Lockheed Martin ISR Systems. "We are excited to combine our expertise with that of our partner in designing and producing Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance systems that will be able to meet the warfighter's needs for the next several decades."

Work on the ACS contract will be done at the Lockheed Martin Management & Data Systems facility in Denver, Colo., and L-3 Communications facilities in Greenville, Texas and Salt Lake City, Utah.

L-3 Communications Integrated Systems is headquartered in Greenville, Texas, with sites in Waco, Texas, Lexington, Ky., and Avalon, Australia. Integrated Systems specializes in the development and integration of complex electronic systems for ISR missions and modification and maintenance of special mission aircraft.

L-3 Communication Systems - West, located in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a leader in communication systems for intelligence collection, imagery processing and satellite communications for the defense industry. In addition, the company provides other military wireless products and satellite communication systems.

Headquartered in New York City, L-3 Communications is a leading merchant supplier of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) products, secure communications systems and products, avionics and ocean products, training products, microwave components and telemetry, instrumentation, space and wireless products. Its customers include the Department of Defense, selected U.S. government intelligence agencies, aerospace prime contractors and commercial telecommunications and wireless customers. To learn more about L-3 Communications, please visit the company's web site at www.L-3Com.com.

Management & Data Systems (http://mds.external.lmco.com/), headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, has been a leader in systems integration, systems engineering, software development and program management in support of vital national systems for more than 32 years. M&DS is a unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation with approximately 8,300 employees at facilities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Pennsylvania, and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, Virginia and Maryland.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin (http://www.lockheedmartin.com/) is a highly diversified global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced-technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's core businesses span space and telecommunications, electronics, information and services, aeronautics, energy and systems integration. Lockheed Martin had 2002 sales surpassing $26 billion.

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin