BETHESDA, Md., July 5, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing industrial security excellence, the Defense Security Service (DSS) has announced that Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has been awarded four of its 2011 James S. Cogswell Outstanding Industrial Security Achievement Awards. This is the highest number of awards given this year to one corporation.

The awards were presented at the annual NCMS training seminar -- a seminar for industrial security professionals -- on June 22, 2011, in New Orleans, La. This year, DSS presented awards to 17 of 13,000 defense contractors subject to recurring inspections.

"These awards are tremendous recognition of the important work our Corporation's security professionals do each and every day," said Bob Trono, Lockheed Martin's chief security officer.  "Protecting our people, our facilities, our information and our systems must remain a priority in light of the critical work our Corporation does to promote global security."

The four awards given to Lockheed Martin include:

• Missiles and Fire Control Facility (Troy, Ala.) – Supports the production of THAAD, JASSM and Javelin missiles.  The manufacturing environment presents many unique challenges to the security program such as Arms, Ammunition, & Explosives (AA&E) and Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) requirements.  Notably, the facility has been awarded eight consecutive "Superior" ratings by DSS.
• Missiles and Fire Control Facility (Grand Prairie, Tex.) – Provides engineering and manufacturing support to programs such as PAC-3 and MEADS.  The Grand Prairie facility is unique in that it supports more than 1,800 classified computing systems.  The facility has received three consecutive "Superior" ratings from DSS.  
• The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) International Organization (Orlando, Fla., Munich, Rome) – The prime contractor for MEADS, a ground-mobile air and missile defense system that incorporates the hit-to-kill Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) Missile, 360-degree radars, netted and distributed battle management and high-firepower launchers.  Notably this is the third time MEADS has been recognized with a Cogswell award.  The program has also received seven consecutive "Superior" ratings from DSS.
• LMSecurity Operations Center (Orlando, Fla.) – Lockheed Martin's security clearance processing center that manages more than 75,000 DoD security clearances for the Corporation.  The facility leverages automation and operating excellence principles that allow it to receive security clearance decisions twice as fast as industry counterparts.  The facility has received five consecutive "Superior" ratings from DSS.  

The Cogswell Award, established in 1966, is named in honor of the late Air Force Col. James S. Cogswell, the first chief of industrial security within the Department of Defense. Cogswell was responsible for developing the basic principles of the Industrial Security Program, which include an emphasis on the partnership between industry and government to protect classified information. This partnership ultimately ensures the greatest protection for the U.S. warfighter and our Nation's classified information. The Cogswell Award recognizes industrial security excellence.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation's 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin