The U.S. Department of Defense has recognized Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor as an exemplary program in Performance Based Logistics (PBL), an innovative support approach that provides higher aircraft readiness to warfighters and lower overall costs to taxpayers.

Randy T. Fowler, Assistant Deputy Under-Secretary of Defense for Materiel Readiness, presented the 2008 PBL System Level Award to the F-22 team on Sept. 30 at the Aerospace Industries Association Fall Product Support Conference in Hilton Head, S.C. The PBL awards program recognizes government and industry teams that demonstrate outstanding achievements in PBL development, implementation and execution. This is the third time that a Lockheed Martin program or company has won the annual award.

The F-22 Raptor PBL Team won the System Level Award. Composed of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Boeing, and Pratt & Whitney, along with the U.S. Air Force, the team was honored for producing the highest readiness rates in the program's history.

"The award is a huge win for the 478th, the air logistics centers, contractors and aeronautical systems center. It's an even more significant and enabling win for our warfighters, providing them with better ability to fly, fight and win," said Thomas Severyn, director of the 478th Aeronautical Systems Wing, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

The F-22 was designed for supportability and self-sufficiency with a focus on reduced logistics costs. The improved reliability of the F-22 Raptor is projected to save the taxpayer $14 billion, or more than 35 percent in support costs over the life of the aircraft.

"We are honored by this recognition. The government-contractor team is a strong partnership providing rapid maturation of the F-22 support system and exceptional support to the warfighter," said Dennis Haines, Lockheed Martin vice president for F-22 Sustainment.

Using a life-cycle focused strategy, the Air Force and Lockheed Martin team implemented a continuous reliability improvement program, increasing mean time between maintenance by 69 percent fleet wide. The team drove a 15 percent improved mission rate and reduced repair time by 20 percent.

A total of 183 production Raptors are currently on contract. The F-22 is built by Lockheed Martin in partnership with Boeing and Pratt & Whitney. Parts and subsystems are provided by 1,000 suppliers in 44 states. The F-22 is the only aircraft that blends supercruise speed, super-agility, stealth and sensor fusion into a single air dominance platform.

Raptors are assigned to six U.S. bases: Edwards AFB, Calif., Nellis AFB, Nev., Tyndall AFB, Fla., Langley AFB, Va., Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, and Holloman AFB, N.M. Raptors will also be based at Hickam AFB, Hawaii.

Previous PBL awards honoring Lockheed Martin activities have included the following:

-- 2005 - Lockheed Martin won the System Level Award as part of the Air Force F-117 Nighthawk total system support partnership team, for innovative contracting measures enhancing war fighter capabilities and cutting costs.

-- 2006 - Lockheed Martin won the System Level Award for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems program, based at the Army's Precision Fires Rocket and Missile Systems Project Management Office at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, and Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control in Dallas.

Lockheed Martin is a major supplier of logistics systems and services to military and civil government customers. The corporation provides solutions for platform maintenance, modifications and repair, material readiness and distribution, and global supply chain command and control.

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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                        http://www.f22-raptor.com/

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: karen.l.hagar@lmco.com

SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company