Lockheed Martin announced today that it has received a $23.9 million contract modification from Northrop Grumman Corporation to provide hardware components for the next phase of full-rate production for the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Safety Enhanced Reentry Vehicle (SERV) program.

This contract is for the third of four phases of full-rate production. In this phase, Lockheed Martin will deliver an additional 120 full-rate production SERV hardware kits by December 2010. With options, the total value of this contract over seven years is estimated to be approximately $137 million.

To date, Lockheed Martin has delivered more than 100 SERV hardware kits in earlier phases of full-rate production, which began in 2006, and in the low-rate initial production phase, which began in 2004 and concluded in December 2007.

The entire force of Minuteman III missiles is slated to be upgraded with the ERV modifications by 2011. As a result of SERV, the Minuteman III missile now is capable of carrying single Mark 21 reentry vehicles from the decommissioned Peacekeeper ICBM missile force. This ensures continued reliability and effectiveness of the Minuteman III weapon system, in part because the Mark 21 reentry vehicle is a newer design with enhanced safety features.

"As we continue full-rate production of the electronic and mechanical hardware that interfaces the reentry vehicle with the missile system, Lockheed Martin remains committed to providing the highest quality support for the operational ICBM force," said Les Lyon, director, Air Force Reentry Programs, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.

Lockheed Martin is a principal teammate on the SERV program to Northrop Grumman, the ICBM prime integration contractor for the U.S. Air Force. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, which has been the principal designer and manufacturer of the Minuteman III reentry systems since the 1960s, has designed and developed all of the flight hardware and ground support equipment associated with the SERV program.

Hardware components provided by Lockheed Martin Space Systems include the Electronic Command Signal Generator and associated cabling that interface between the missile's guidance and control system and the reentry vehicles, as well as the flight hardware for attachment of the reentry vehicles to the missile. Lockheed Martin's Valley Forge, Pa., facility produces the Electronic Command Signal Generator, cables, attachment hardware, and a complete suite of ground support equipment, and provides associated engineering and logistics support.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, a major operating unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, designs, develops, tests, manufactures and operates a variety of advanced technology systems for military, civil and commercial customers. Chief products include a full-range of space launch systems, including heavy-lift capability, ground systems, remote sensing and communications satellites for commercial and government customers, advanced space observatories and interplanetary spacecraft, fleet ballistic missiles and missile defense systems.

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 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.

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

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin