The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a foreign military sales contract valued at nearly $5.2 million to conduct a Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) feasibility study for the Israeli Navy. Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will examine possible modifications to its LCS design to meet specific Israeli naval requirements. Lockheed Martin is currently building the first LCS for the U.S. Navy.

During the nine-month feasibility study, Lockheed Martin will examine its current LCS design for hull, mechanical and electrical system compatibility with the Israeli Navy's combat systems and other requirements.

The successful completion of this study could lead to follow-on contracts to design and build one or two ships for the Israeli Navy. Construction of these ships would occur at Marinette Marine and Bollinger Shipyards in the United States. Several other countries also have expressed interest in Lockheed Martin's LCS design concept.

"Lockheed Martin has identified and is cooperating with leaders in Israel's defense industry to successfully integrate Israeli technologies and solutions for the LCS program," said Joshua Shani, vice president of Lockheed Martin Israel Operations. "The participation by the Israeli defense industry will be the cornerstone of this program's success."

The first LCS for the U.S. Navy, Freedom (LCS 1), is currently under construction at Marinette Marine in Marinette, WI. Freedom, to be homeported in San Diego, will launch in the summer of 2006 and be delivered in 2007.

The Lockheed Martin team design, a semi-planing survivable steel monohull, provides outstanding maneuverability with proven seakeeping characteristics to support launch and recovery operations, mission execution and optimum crew comfort. The Lockheed Martin-led team includes naval architect Gibbs & Cox, ship builders Marinette Marine, a subsidiary of The Manitowoc Company, Inc., , and Bollinger Shipyards, as well as best-of-industry domestic and international teammates to provide a flexible, low-risk warfighting solution.

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.

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http://www.lockheedmartin.com/.

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin