The U.S. Coast Guard today commissioned its first National Security Cutter, USCGC Bertholf (WMSL 750), a 418-foot vessel built by Northrop Grumman and equipped by Lockheed Martin with fully-integrated communications, sensors and electronic systems. Bertholf is the first ship in its class of technologically-advanced, multi-mission cutters.

Lockheed Martin's Coast Guard Command and Control (CG-C2) system, onboard Bertholf, provides a common operating picture to aid coordination among helicopters, aircraft, other ships and shore facilities. The system has an open architecture design and provides interoperability, assuring that the Coast Guard can work with multiple federal, regional and state agencies and organizations in maintaining maritime domain awareness and achieving homeland security missions.

Bertholf's CG-C2 system is also fully interoperable with systems previously delivered on the HC-144A Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft, the modified HC-130J Hercules long-range search aircraft, and upgrades to the Coast Guard's 39 legacy high- and medium-endurance cutters.

"This is a complex, innovative vessel, born from the brilliant minds of our Coast Guard customer and industry team," said Fred Moosally, president of Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors, in a speech during the commissioning.

Today's event followed a series of successful system tests, where Lockheed Martin engineers, working side-by-side with the Coast Guard, demonstrated the advanced system's capabilities and provided operator training.

"The team has worked hard to deliver a proven system that provides the Coast Guard the ability to see the 'big picture,' improve efficiency and increase coordination when responding to an event," said Richard Lockwood, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Coast Guard Systems line of business.

Integrated Coast Guard Systems, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, was awarded the Deepwater contract in June 2002 and has been renewed through January 2011.

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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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin