Lockheed Martin announced today that it has completed the first kill vehicle pathfinder seeker for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's Multiple Kill Vehicle System. Lockheed Martin is testing the pathfinder seeker in its hardware-in-the-loop facility, creating a vibration environment similar to the one the kill vehicle will experience while performing its mission. Under sophisticated optical and electrical testing, the pathfinder seeker and associated kill vehicle electronics have been demonstrating full functionality.

In the event of an enemy launch, a single interceptor equipped with the Multiple Kill Vehicle payload system will destroy the enemy lethal reentry vehicle along with any countermeasures deployed to try and spoof the missile defense system. This many-on-many strategy reduces the need for extensive pre-launch intelligence and leverages the Ballistic Missile Defense System discrimination capability, ensuring a robust and affordable solution to emerging threats.

"We are making significant progress in developing components for this critical Missile Defense Agency payload system," said Rick Reginato, Multiple Kill Vehicle program director, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "We've built and tested the first of two pathfinder seekers ahead of schedule, demonstrating our ability to master this challenging technology for the Agency and the Nation's defense."

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the prime contractor for the Multiple Kill Vehicle payload system. The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, Ala., executes the program for the Missile Defense Agency.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 135,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2005 sales of $37.2 billion.

                              Media Contact:
            Lynn Fisher, 408-742-7606; lynn.m.fisher@lmco.com

                Approved for Public Release:  06-MDA-1500

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin