The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has appointed Lockheed Martin as preferred supplier for Project Soothsayer, the next-generation Electronic Warfare (EW) program for British land forces.

Worth in excess of 130 million pounds Sterling (US$200m), Soothsayer will provide integrated Electronic Support Measures (ESM) and Electronic Countermeasures (ECM) capability for the British Army and Royal Marines. The system will intercept and monitor many types of enemy communications or signals in real-time -- including radar, multi-frequency emissions and other electronic data. The system will give commanders better intelligence data over a wider spectrum, along with location information -- with accuracy previously unavailable. Mobile and vehicle-mounted, Soothsayer will enable front-line forces to rapidly deploy the capability. Future upgrades will integrate the system with airborne platforms for enhanced network-enabled capability.

"We are delighted the MoD has selected the Lockheed Martin team to provide British land forces with the world's most advanced electronic warfare capability," said Steve Ramsey, vice president and general manager, Aerospace Solutions, Lockheed Martin Corporation. "Our Soothsayer team combines extremely advanced UK and U.S. technology with proven systems integration and program management skills. Together we will provide the MoD with a solution that is effective, affordable, supportable and low-risk."

Lockheed Martin's solution relies on proven commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products and technology that is easily upgradeable and scaleable within an open architecture. Fundamental to its design approach has been the need for connectivity between Soothsayer, other related ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) programs and coalition forces. Particular attention has been paid to making the solution compliant with ISTAR projects such as CEC, Watchkeeper and the Fire Control BISA (Battlefield Information System Application) in order to give a seamless fusion of data across the digitized battlespace.

Teamed with Lockheed Martin are:

INSYS -- Ampthill, Bedford. Full vehicle integration and shelter design work as well as final vehicle assembly and testing.

LogicaCMG -- Leatherhead, Surrey. Integration framework and software integration, including links to Bowman and Land Digitisation programs; human machine interface; training, and security accreditation of the system.

QinetiQ -- Great Malvern, Worcestershire. Advanced EW software products and development and integration of specialized software.

Detica -- Guildford, Surrey. Advanced security management, operational analysis and development of doctrine.

Supacat -- Dunkeswell, Devon. High Mobility 6x6 truck provides a major step forward in off-road mobility. Sophisticated suspension reduces crew fatigue and equipment failure.

Argon Engineering -- Fair Lakes, Virginia, USA, experts in ESM and ECM sub-systems. Argon will couple capabilities from its own Lighthouse product line with critical EW capabilities developed by QinetiQ to meet Soothsayer requirements.

Lockheed Martin UK, a unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, is a leader in systems integration working on major programs spanning the aerospace, defence, civil and commercial sectors with significant capabilities in the transport infrastructure market. In the UK, Lockheed Martin has annual sales in the range of 400-600 million pounds working with more than 75 business partners. Lockheed Martin employs approximately 1,000 people at over 10 UK facilities including London, Havant, Southampton, Yeovil, Swindon, Hertford, Bristol and Cornwall.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, 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.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Corporation