Lockheed Martin's Paul Shattuck, Airborne Laser (ABL) Beam Control/Fire Control chief engineer and technical director, and five of his government and industry ABL teammates have received a U.S. Missile Defense Agency Technology Pioneer Award.

The award recognizes the team for achieving a host of technology breakthroughs that have culminated in a fully integrated system with the advantages of speed-of-light destruction of ballistic missile threats from a highly mobile platform. The Missile Defense Agency presented the award March 23 during the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 7th Annual U.S. Missile Defense Conference in Washington, D.C.

Shattuck was honored for his role in developing, integrating, testing and demonstrating the Lockheed Martin-developed Beam Control/Fire Control System, which focuses and directs ABL's High Energy Laser. Also receiving the award were:

  --  Dr. Steven Lamberson, chief scientist, ABL Program Office, U.S.
      Missile Defense Agency
  --  Donald Clapp, chief engineer and mission assurance manager, The Boeing
      Company
  --  David Morris, chief scientist / system performance manager, Boeing
  --  Dr. Harold Schall, chief engineer for integration and test, and senior
      technical fellow, Boeing

  --  Jeffrey Hartlove, ABL deputy program manager, Northrop Grumman Corp.

"We are proud to be part of the ABL program and very proud to see Paul and his colleagues receive this recognition on behalf of the entire ABL government-industry team," said Doug Graham, vice president of advanced programs, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "This is an exciting time for this revolutionary program as we approach our ballistic missile shoot-down demonstration later this year."

Shattuck has provided the technical leadership and commitment required to design and produce a sophisticated system robust enough to aim the megawatt-class beam generated by the High Energy Laser.

The Beam Control/Fire Control system successfully focused and directed ABL's High Energy Laser beam in ground tests last year aboard ABL's modified Boeing 747-400F aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. The team now is preparing for flight testing of the entire, integrated ABL system that will culminate in an airborne intercept test against an unarmed ballistic missile later this year.

ABL is designed to destroy a ballistic missile during its boost phase, while it is still accelerating in the Earth's atmosphere and before it can deploy its warheads. The Missile Defense Agency manages the ABL program, which is executed by the U.S. Air Force from Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, N.M. The Boeing Company provides the modified aircraft and the Battle Management System and is the overall systems integrator. Boeing's ABL industry partners are Northrop Grumman , which supplies the High Energy Laser and the Beacon Illuminator Laser, and Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., which provides the Beam Control/Fire Control System, including the nose-mounted turret.

Lockheed Martin is a world leader in systems integration and the development of air and missile defense systems and technologies, including the first operational hit-to-kill missile. The company makes significant contributions to most major U.S. missile defense systems and participates in several global missile defense partnerships.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 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 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

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  Lynn Fisher, 408-742-7606; e-mail lynn.m.fisher@lmco.com

  Approved for Public Release 09-MDA-4433 (3 APR 09)

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin