FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 9, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin's [NYSE: LMT] Fort Worth business 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 week-long review in August that encompassed all areas of collateral classified programs at the facility.

DSS serves as an interface between the government and cleared contractor facilities and is responsible for assessing and monitoring the contractors who perform on contracts that require access to classified information. Of the approximately 13,500 contractor facilities DSS assesses, fewer than five 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 in the U.S.

"In today's environment, where threats come from so many directions, a Superior rating is particularly meaningful for the men and women who serve in our military and rely on aircraft and other capabilities we develop and produce," said Steve Wheeler, Lockheed Martin's director of Security and Emergency Services. "The Defense Security Service's assessment is reflective of the commitment and professionalism of the more than 12,500 employees in Fort Worth."

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 the headquarters of Lockheed Martin's Aeronautics business and operates active production lines for the F-35 Lighting II multi-role fighter and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The site has approximately 12,500 employees and about 150 buildings on more than 680 acres.

About Lockheed Martin:

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 113,000 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 net sales for 2013 were $45.4 billion.

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www.lockheedmartin.com

SOURCE Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company