Lockheed Martin Announces First Production LANTIRN Advanced Deployment Kit Begins Test & Integration
Delivery to the U.S. Air National Guard of new pod tester for use on Expeditionary Air Force deployments to occur in April 2001
ORLANDO, FL, February 21st, 2001 -- Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) today announced test and integration is under way on the new Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared System for Night, (LANTIRN) Advanced Deployment Kit, scheduled for delivery to the U.S. Air National Guard in April 2001. The contract for three advanced deployment kits, awarded in early 2000, is worth up to $7.5 million. The new kit includes a Battlefield Reconfigurable Instrument for Test of Electro-optics (BRITE) test station packed in easily deployable transit cases. This down-sized test equipment configuration consumes less than one-third of the shipping volume of a full intermediate level shop while providing complete pod-level maintenance. The system also provides improved fault isolation that reduces the need for line replaceable unit testing.
"The new LANTIRN test equipment is the result of our close working relationship with the user community and our joint investment in the cooperative Commercial Operation and Support Savings Initiative agreement with the Air Force," said Lockheed Martin Information Systems President John Hallal. "We are set to deliver a system that meets the challenges of the Expeditionary Air Force."
The LANTIRN Advanced Deployment Kit will add significant repair capability at a reduced cost through the use of open system architecture and commercial standard instruments. A familiar interface will permit users to operate and repair LANTIRN pods within hours of receipt at the repair site. An industrial personal computer, running Windows NT, controls the instruments and executes the test programs. The BRITE system tests all laser wavelengths in use by today's weapon systems. The kit is also capable of the resolutions required for tests of third-generation Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR) systems.
"Our maintainers worked closely with Lockheed Martin engineers beginning in 1998 to develop the requirements of a deployable pod tester," said Col. David Angle, Logistics Group Commander, 138th Fighter Wing, Air National Guard. "The result is a fully functional prototype that we have deployed five times since July 1998. At each deployment the system performed well and made a significant impact to the Targeting pod availability. We have maintained an active role in the development of the production requirements and are pleased to see our suggestions designed into our tester."
General Michael Ryan, Air Force Chief of Staff, provided funding for an additional two systems for Air Combat Command as part of the FY2000 un-funded priority list. These two systems will be delivered to Air Combat Command at Langley Air Force Base, in Hampton, Va., on one-month intervals following the first unit delivery.
Lockheed Martin's LANTIRN navigation and targeting Forward Looking Infra-Red (FLIR) system provides F-15E/F-16, F-14 and international F-16/F-15 pilots with technology to meet the operational requirements for precision strike missions. Combination of the navigation pod and the targeting pod provides exact navigational capabilities in day or night, in good or adverse weather, to allow the aircrew to locate the target, gain positive identification, and attack from a standoff distance. Over 1,700 LANTIRN pods are deployed worldwide to the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, NATO, and other allied air forces.
Lockheed Martin employs approximately 6,500 employees at facilities in Central Florida.
Mike Mulleavey, 407-306-1730
e-mail mike.mulleavey@lmco.com
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