Lockheed Martin announced today that it has successfully delivered the Common Imagery Exploitation Segment (CIES) -- an interim upgrade to the U.S. Air Force Distributed Common Ground System (USAF DCGS) -- to ground stations at Beale Air Force Base (AFB) in California and Langley AFB in Virginia. CIES provides the USAF Air Combat Command with an interim ground station capability until the next generation DCGS Block 10.2 provides a complete replacement in late 2005.

The U.S. Air Force acquisition officer responsible for contracting and delivering CIES, Lieutenant Colonel Chuck Angus of the Warner Robins AFB Air Logistics Command stated that, "we are confident that CIES will ensure that our soldiers on the ground and in the air receive the best tactical reconnaissance products available in the shortest amount of time until the Air Force DCGS Block 10.2 is delivered."

Primarily a commercial/government off-the-shelf (COTS/GOTS) based exploitation capability, the CIES upgrade will enable USAF Intelligence Analysts to use a suite of common tools and software. CIES also provides the USAF with a security hub that is forward compatible with its short-term plan to upgrade several other nodes and interfaces within the DCGS in order to meet increasing operational demands for intelligence. The core DCGS ground stations at Beale and Langley AFB produce significant amounts of imagery and multi-intelligence products that support tactical reconnaissance and strategic planning objectives.

"I am very proud of our team for demonstrating that we can provide the leadership and system integration qualities that are absolutely vital when delivering such a complex, mission critical upgrade as CIES," said Mark Grablin, Lockheed Martin DCGS 10.2 Program Director.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2003 sales of $31.8 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Corporation