To accelerate the fielding of the new Enhanced AN/TPQ-36 Counterfire Target Acquisition radar, the U.S. Army has exercised $152 million in contract options for 12 additional systems from Lockheed Martin .

The EQ-36 radars will detect, classify, track and determine the location of enemy indirect fire such as mortars, artillery and rockets in either 90-degree or 360-degree modes. These systems will replace aging TPQ-36 and TPQ-37 medium-range radars, currently in the Army's inventory.

The 12 new EQ-36 systems covered under the contract options are in addition to five radars that will be delivered to the Army's Program Executive Office -- Intelligence, Electronic Warfare and Sensors within 36 months under a $120 million design and development contract awarded to Lockheed Martin in January 2007.

The 12 new systems will include enhanced performance capabilities in both the 90-degree and 360-degree modes of operation. Further, to support the war fighter, delivery of all 12 systems will be accelerated.

With both awards now running in parallel, the first of the combined 17 EQ-36 systems is on schedule for delivery to the Army by summer 2009; the last systems will be delivered by fall 2010.

In October 2007, the EQ-36 program completed a successful Preliminary Design Review and in March, the program successfully completed its Critical Design Review (CDR).

In November and December 2007, a prototype EQ-36 radar, built by industry partner Syracuse Research under an Army Technology Objective, was tested in full 360-degree counter-fire mode against mortars and rockets at the U.S. Army's Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona. During the tests, which were specifically designed to evaluate the radar's ability to meet U.S. Army requirements, the EQ-36 prototype successfully located the firing positions of both rocket and mortar launchers in 360-degree mode. Live fire testing was conducted over a seven-day period without a single false alarm.

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