FORT WORTH, Texas, Aug. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fort Worth location of Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) Aeronautics has earned a Superior rating in an annual audit by the U.S. Defense Security Service (DSS). The DSS, an agency of the Department of Defense, completed an extensive two-week review in August that encompassed all areas of collateral classified programs at the facility.

DSS has responsibility for approximately 12,000 cleared contractor facilities. Of them, fewer than 5 percent demonstrate Superior performance, which is the highest rating for an industrial security program. According to the DSS, the Fort Worth facility is among the largest and most complex that undergo this type of review.

"It is a recognition that we're proud and honored to receive," said Steve Wheeler, director of Security for Aeronautics. "In today's environment, where threats come from so many directions, a Superior rating is particularly meaningful to both our company and our employees as we all remain engaged in the mission of protecting our technology and safeguarding our information."

The DSS reported no serious findings and no repeat findings from the 2010 review, during which the facility received a Commendable rating. They also noted the significant scope of the Counterintelligence Program in place and the ongoing improvements in classified computer security.

A Superior rating is reserved for contractors that consistently and fully implement the requirements of the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual in an effective fashion, resulting in a superior security posture, compared with other contractors of similar size and complexity. The facility must have documented procedures that heighten the security awareness of employees and foster a spirit of cooperation within the security community. 

Fort Worth is Aeronautics' headquarters and the home of the F-35 and F-16 programs, among other business activities. The site has 15,000 employees, more than 680 acres and over 150 separate buildings at its operations.

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 Aeronautics Company