The U.S. Navy certified that the latest evolution of the Lockheed Martin-developed Aegis Weapon System, referred to as Baseline 7, is approved for deployment.

The USS Pinckney, the first ship equipped with the seventh generation of Aegis, will soon begin an operational deployment. "We deploy in 31 days and I want to take this with me," said Cmdr. Jim Malloy, USS Pinckney's commanding officer, to the certification board in late August.

The certification decision "represents the culmination of a remarkable Team effort and clear example of the 'can-do' spirit of our nation's superb engineering talent," said Capt. Peter Nardi, the Navy's Surface Ship Combat Systems manager.

The Baseline 7 Aegis Weapon System contains the first complete commercial- off-the-shelf (COTS) Aegis advanced processing computing architecture and the new AN/SPY-1D(V) radar.

The transition to a complete COTS computing environment and network infrastructure increases the Aegis systems' capability and is a major step toward an open architecture, designed to ease introduction of future computing features and upgrades. The AN/SPY-1D(V) radar system adds the capability to operate more effectively in littoral environments with automatic adaptive radar mode control as well as a more sophisticated ability to defeat electronic countermeasures.

"By working side-by-side with our Navy customer and the shipbuilder, we are providing the crew of USS Pinckney - and 11 additional new construction Aegis-equipped destroyers - with unmatched capability along with the benefits of a totally COTS-based computing environment," said Orlando Carvalho, vice president of Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensor's Surface-SBMD line of business. "The threats that face the Navy continue to grow and Aegis continues to pace the threat."

Another integral part of this upgraded system is the ship's latest Undersea Warfare System, the AN/SQQ-89(V)15, which also incorporates Lockheed Martin's new Remote Minehunting System (RMS). This further enhances the ship's multi-mission role by providing an organic mine reconnaissance capability to fleet battle groups and increased synergy among major warfighting components on the ship. This same RMS will also be integrated on the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship, the first of which is under construction at Marinette Marine in Marinette, WI, and will be delivered to the Navy in December 2006.

The Aegis Weapon System is the world's premier naval surface defense system. It seamlessly integrates the AN/SPY-1D(V) radar, the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System and a family of U.S. Navy missiles with its own command and control system, and is capable of simultaneous operations against multiple advanced air, surface, subsurface and ballistic missile threats.

Currently, Aegis Weapon Systems are on 76 cruisers, destroyers and frigates in service around the world. Plans are currently underway to install the system on an additional 30 U.S. and international navy destroyers and frigates.

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