Lockheed Martin has received a $129.3 million contract to build a total of 13 new outer wing sets for the U.S. Navy's P-3 Orion fleet. The all new production outer wings will be delivered to the Navy beginning in early 2010 for installation on selected aircraft.

"Lockheed Martin has a long, proud history of providing P-3 sustainment and support to the U.S. Navy," said Ray Burick, Lockheed Martin vice president of P-3/S-3 programs. "This new wing order is the next step in that partnership."

Lockheed Martin's P-3 wing production line opened in March 2008 and is the cornerstone of the company's P-3 Aircraft Service Life Extension Program (ASLEP). Lockheed Martin currently has the Royal Norwegian Air Force and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Service under contract for P-3 Life Extension Kits, and has submitted a response to the Canadian Forces under a Request For Proposal. A proposal for the Taiwan P-3 fleet is also in work.

"As the P-3 Orion original equipment manufacturer, Lockheed Martin is uniquely qualified to sustain and support the world's P-3 fleets," said Burick. "Aside from the operators of these aircraft, nobody knows the P-3 better than Lockheed Martin."

The complete ASLEP solution replaces the aircraft outer wings, center wing lower section and horizontal stabilizers with new production components. All fatigue-life limiting structures on the aircraft are replaced with enhanced-design components and improved corrosion-resistant materials that will greatly reduce maintenance costs over the aircraft's service life.

"Lockheed Martin is committed to providing a range of solutions that enables operational effectiveness for P-3 Orion operators worldwide for decades to come," said Burick. "We're fully prepared to support the U.S. Navy and all our customers in their future maritime surveillance activities."

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that 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 Aeronautics Company