Lockheed Martin today announced it attained Government Acceptance of the system it has developed and tested for the Federal Aviation Administration's En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) program.

System testing recently conducted by Lockheed Martin was completed on schedule, and the program now moves into operational testing by the FAA as part of the program's deployment phase.

The ERAM system replaces the current Host Computer System, which has been operating since 1967 with numerous upgrades. The ERAM system will provide a modular, expandable and supportable infrastructure that can accommodate innovation and steady enhancements. Considered an integral part of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), the ERAM system is scheduled for deployment by 2010 at all 20 U.S. FAA En Route Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCCs).

"By achieving government acceptance on schedule, our team is helping the FAA strengthen its ability to implement new air traffic services, concepts and airspace enhancements faster and with greater efficiency," said Judy Marks, president of Lockheed Martin Transportation and Security Solutions. "We are extremely proud of our team's current program achievement, and we remain committed to delivering performance excellence through testing, deployment, and all of the life-cycle phases of ERAM."

Considered a critical part of the National Airspace System's future, ERAM will be the backbone of the FAA's en route operations once it is fully operational. The system includes computer hardware, software and an extremely robust backup with four levels of redundancy.

"ERAM will provide flexible routing of aircraft, utilization of additional surveillance information that allows for increased capacity and safety, and a platform that will support future advanced applications," said Eva Knapp, ERAM program director for Lockheed Martin. "For instance, ERAM will be the first program to use the System Wide Information Management infrastructure for data sharing, which is a key first step for NextGen."

Lockheed Martin conducted its system tests from June through September this year at the FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center in Atlantic City, N.J., and Lockheed Martin laboratories in Maryland and Minnesota.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 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 2006 sales of $39.6 billion.

For additional information, visit our website: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin