Lockheed Martin today announced the development of an Airborne Multi-INT Laboratory (AML), which will be used for operational testing and experimentation of C4ISR capabilities. The AML provides a platform for both advanced research and realistic testing and demonstration of emerging intelligence, communications, networking and sensors capabilities that can improve strategic and tactical responsiveness for military, strategic and homeland security forces.

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"The AML will be a key asset in furthering our ability to develop, test and field rapidly deployable capabilities that warfighters need in the field today," said John Mengucci, President of Lockheed Martin's IS&GS-Defense. "It is important to note this is not about proving the value of multi-INT or mobile communications - that is the state of the practice. This is about expediting our ability to provide intelligence across the full spectrum of conflict."

Complementing investments the corporation has made in multi-INT fixed-site, transit case and Humvee based configurations, the AML completes a unique C4ISR experimentation constellation. The AML, a Gulfstream III business jet, provides a readily reconfigurable platform for a wide variety of multi-INT experiments and sensor evaluation, as well as participation in government and coalition exercises. Using the AML as a multi-role cooperative research platform testbed, the team will work with operational commands to develop innovative ways to bring ISR to the edge; investigate new Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition (RSTA) approaches and develop operational concepts that link battlefield resources at all echelons. Planned experimentation exercises include improvement of the end- to-end intelligence enterprise from initial intercept through sensor cross queuing, precision geo-location and rapid transmission to the end user.

Designed for rapid reconfiguration of onboard sensors, the testbed draws from Lockheed Martin's expertise in service oriented architecture (SOA) based solutions. This SOA architecture embraces change and accommodates reach back to other collection sources and databases. While future C4ISR technology advancements cannot always be predicted, this architecture allows new capabilities, operational uses and cyber security schema to be easily incorporated.

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.

For additional information, visit our website: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin