ORLANDO, Fla., April 20, 2017 – Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) received a contract in December 2016 to continue low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the IRST21^® sensor system for the U.S. Navy

Under this second LRIP contract, Lockheed Martin will provide 12 IRST21 systems to support the U.S. Navy’s F/A-18E/F fleet. The first LRIP contract was awarded in March 2015 and included six systems.

“The IRST21 sensor provides unmatched threat detection and survivability for U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F operators,” said Paul Lemmo, vice president of Fire Control/Special Operations Forces Contractor Logistics Support Services at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “This is the next generation of Lockheed Martin’s legacy IRST sensor system, and continues our proud legacy of providing superior sensor capabilities to our service members."

The IRST21 sensor system uses infrared search and track technology to passively detect and track airborne threats in radar-denied environments. Compared to radar, IRST21 provides increased discrimination among multiple targets, enabling pilots to accurately identify threat formations at longer ranges. This “see first, strike first” capability empowers pilots with more reaction time and improves survivability.

Lockheed Martin’s legacy IRST sensor system has logged more than 300,000 flight hours on the U.S. Navy’s F-14 and international F-15 platforms. Currently, IRST21 is mounted in the nose of the F/A-18E/F’s centerline fuel tank.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.