The Longbow Limited Liability Company (LBL), a Joint Venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Corporation , has been awarded a contract worth $17.6 million to begin work on the Fire Control Radar Electronics Unit (REU) as part of the U.S. Army's Apache Longbow Block III modernization effort.

The contract was signed during a ceremony at the U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Command in Huntsville, AL, earlier this month.

"Every member of the Joint Venture -- those at Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, and our valued subcontractors -- can take justifiable pride in the confidence this contract represents," said Richard Russell of Lockheed Martin, president of LBL. "This award enables us to equip our nation's warfighters with leading-edge technology while delivering cost efficiencies that benefit the U.S. Army and American taxpayers alike."

The Longbow Fire Control Radar (FCR) transformed the AH-64D Apache attack helicopter into a dominating adverse weather battlefield system. The FCR system enables the Apache Longbow to rapidly search, detect, locate, classify, prioritize, and, if desired, engage both moving and stationary targets out to the maximum range of its weapons. The REU leverages technology originally developed for the Comanche helicopter program to consolidate and replace two legacy FCR components while introducing new capabilities.

The new unit improves power ratios, provides built-in processor expansion growth, and can be retrofitted on Block II aircraft in addition to the Block III Apaches for which it was designed. It also offers the potential for integration of Level IV Unmanned Aerial Vehicle control and a tactical common data link. The REU's design preserves the two-level maintenance concept and tool set, lowers operations and supportability costs, and provides for improved reliability. It meets the Army's weight reduction goal, increasing space for other aircraft components.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems are leading developers of advanced combat systems for the armed forces.

Northrop Grumman Electronic Systems is a world leader in the design, development and manufacture of defense and commercial electronic systems and sensors, including airborne radar, navigation systems, electronic countermeasures, precision weapons, airspace management systems, communication systems, space sensors, marine and naval systems, government systems and logistics services.

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.

For additional information, visit our web site:

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin