Lockheed Martin received a contract valued at $79 million from the U.S. Army Aviation & Missile Command for the purchase of 106 Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) Block 1A Quick Reaction Unitary missiles. These missiles will include the recently qualified new guidance, control and fuze systems.

Work on the contract will be conducted at the company's facilities in Dallas and Horizon City, TX. Delivery of the missiles is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2006 and will continue throughout 2007.

The ATACMS Block IA Unitary Missile is combat proven in joint operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and is the latest addition to the current ATACMS family of munitions. The Block IA Unitary missile comprises a proven unitary warhead, furnished by the U.S. government, which Lockheed Martin integrates into new ATACMS Block 1A missiles for precision attack out to 300 kilometers. The ATACMS Unitary variant provides the capability to attack high-payoff, time-sensitive targets with limited collateral damage.

"The Quick Reaction Unitary variant will give the U.S. Army the firepower to engage enemy targets in urban and mountainous terrains, where collateral damage is a concern," said Scott Arnold, director - ATACMS Programs for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "This missile is extremely accurate and will reduce the number of munitions necessary to defeat targets."

The Army TACMS Unitary missile is a responsive, all-weather, long-range missile, with a high explosive, single-burst warhead fired from the Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) family of launchers, including the MLRS 270A1 launcher and the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS).

This spiral development program includes plans to develop a multi-mode warhead with three fuze options which will provide the capability to attack target sets of the current variants as well as hard targets. This phase of the program is expected to begin in FY'06.

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.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin