Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor was recognized as the winner of the Contractor-Military Collaboration Of The Year award for F-22 Sustainment at an awards ceremony Dec. 3 at the Defense Logistics 2008 Conference in Arlington, Va.

The F-22 was designed for supportability and self-sufficiency with a focus on reduced logistics costs. The improved reliability resulting from the performance based logistics strategy 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 have a strong government partnership, built on a foundation of trust, transparency of operations, and collaborative problem solving. We are very proud to receive recognition for this extraordinary team," said Dennis Haines, Lockheed Martin vice president for F-22 Sustainment.

The award follows recent recognition, in September, when Lockheed Martin and the F-22 team received the 2008 Performance Based Logistics System Level award from the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, at the Aerospace Industries Association Fall Product Support Conference.

Defense Logistics is a cross-Service examination of the issues surrounding logistics strategies and support. Running since 1999, the Defense Logistics Conference has become a set date on the calendars of 650+ logisticians and has proven to be the most influential forum of great logistics minds in the U.S.

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.

Lockheed Martin is a major supplier of logistics systems and lifetime support and performance-based logistics 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.

  For additional information, visit our Web sites:
  http://www.lockheedmartin.com/
  http://www.f22-raptor.com/

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company