Lockheed Martin will continue to modernize and sustain the A-10 close air support fighter jet as one of the associate prime contractors selected today by the U.S. Air Force.

As an associate prime, Lockheed Martin expects to perform on individual task orders during the next 10-year phase of A-10 aircraft modernization and sustainment -- designated Thunderbolt Lifecycle Program Support (TLPS). The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity TLPS contract will allow the U.S. Air Force to authorize up to $1.6 billion of aircraft support activity during an initial four-year order period followed by three two-year optional contract periods.

The U.S. Air Force also has awarded Lockheed Martin its first TLPS task order -- to provide one year's systems engineering, program and configuration management expertise to the A-10 Systems Program Office at Hill Air Force Base, Ogden, UT.

"The Lockheed Martin-led A-10 industry team brings the knowledge and experience of our 12-year relationship with the U.S. Air Force during which we've worked together to successfully transform the A-10 from an analog aircraft to its new digital A-10C configuration, while supporting the overall sustainment of the weapon system," said Roger Il Grande, A-10 program director at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY. "For the TLPS phase, our team remains committed to keeping the A-10C highly integrated with the latest avionics capabilities, ensuring the platform's long-term sustainment, readiness and relevance to the warfighter."

TLPS is a follow-on to the A-10 Prime Contract competitively awarded to Lockheed Martin in 1997. Much of the work to upgrade the aircraft to A-10C configuration with modern avionics, situational awareness and precision weapons capabilities was performed under a modification contract called Precision Engagement.

Lockheed Martin will remain under contract to complete efforts that are underway including work to provide Precision Engagement modification kits through 2011. Consisting of new mission systems and cockpit, each kit provides all the pieces and parts for Air Force personnel at Hill AFB to efficiently convert each A-10A to an A-10C. To date, the Air Force has converted more than 200 of the 356 aircraft fleet. The A-10C was declared combat ready in August, 2007.

The Lockheed Martin A-10 industry team includes Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio TX; and Northrop Grumman, St. Augustine, FL. Lockheed Martin continues to operate the first-ever A-10 Systems Integration Lab at its Systems Integration - Owego facility. The lab is used by engineers and pilots to test software and hardware upgrades for operational validity before flight, and to reduce development risk and cost.

In 2007, Lockheed Martin Systems Integration - Owego and the Air Force were co-recipients of a Top 5 DoD Program Award from the National Defense Industrial Association and the Department of Defense for A-10 systems engineering and program management excellence.

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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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin