Lockheed Martin has submitted to the U.S. Army its proposal for a new air-to- ground Joint Common Missile (JCM) for deployment aboard Army, Navy and Marine Corps rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft.

"The Lockheed Martin JCM builds on an unmatched foundation of precision air-to-ground, combat-proven performance, inserting the latest technology to give warfighters expanded operational flexibility and combat effectiveness with a versatile, low-cost, missile," said Rick Edwards, director of tactical missiles for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando.

The JCM is the next-generation, multi-purpose, air-to-ground precision missile and will replace the Hellfire, Longbow and Maverick air-to-ground missiles currently in the U.S. arsenal.

"Our JCM offering integrates a combination of innovative technologies from fielded, combat-proven systems with the newest, low-cost technologies to provide the best-performing, lowest-risk, most affordable solution for the JCM requirement," said Edwards. "Our Hellfire and Javelin missile legacy from Operations Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom clearly demonstrates our commitment to our long-time Army, Navy and Marine Corps partners. We know how important this system is to our Armed Forces, and we are offering the best value, lowest-risk solution to give our warfighters the performance they need."

The Lockheed Martin JCM includes a tri-mode seeker and multi-purpose warhead for diverse mission, multi-target capability from a variety of Army, Navy and Marine aircraft. The design includes imaging infrared, semi-active laser and millimeter wave radar capabilities for active and passive "fire-and- forget" and precision-strike targeting. This will increase crew survivability and minimize collateral damage. The JCM also has extended range for standoff engagements -- 16 kilometers (10 miles) for rotary-wing and 28 kilometers (17.5 miles) for fixed-wing aircraft -- and maximum modularity for growth.

The Lockheed Martin JCM candidate builds on the heritage of the Longbow/Hellfire missile family with greatly improved capabilities and reduced cost. The Hellfire missile family has been in production since the early 1980s with more than 16,000 Hellfire II and more than 60,000 Hellfire I rounds produced. Hellfire is in the inventory of 13 countries around the world and has a combat-proven legacy.

The Longbow Hellfire missile -- now 10,000 rounds into production -- adds millimeter-wave radar that is effective in adverse weather and battlefield obscurants and provides fire-and-forget capability that enhances crew survivability. Longbow and Hellfire are launched from Lockheed Martin's all- digital M299 "smart" launcher.

"With superior performance and lower cost and risk, Lockheed Martin's JCM will help customers meet their defining moments," said Stan Arthur, president, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Orlando.

"The Joint Common missile does everything that Longbow and Hellfire can do and a lot more," Edwards declared. "We have assembled a world-class team of suppliers who bring cutting-edge technology to every subsystem. They share our commitment to deliver a product that meets the requirements -- on time and on budget."

The Lockheed Martin JCM combines the experience, technology and the up- front focus to deliver the lowest acquisition and life-cycle cost.

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.

Website: http://www.lockheedmartin.com

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin