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Lockheed Martin's 500th CASS Station to go to USS Bataan

U.S. Navy's LHD 5 vessel to receive Consolidated Automated Support System

ORLANDO, FL, March 20th, 2001 -- The U.S. Navy's standard test system, Lockheed Martin's (NYSE: LMT) Consolidated Automated Support System, will be fielded on the USS Bataan as part of the transition to the high power configuration later this year. The USS Bataan is set to receive the 500th station, delivered today to the U.S. Navy in ceremonies at Lockheed Martin's facility at Americus, Georgia. Over 190 employees assemble the stations in the Georgia facility, supported by more than 25 vendors from around the United States. Lockheed Martin began the first production shipments in 1992.

The Consolidated Automated Support System (CASS), the world's largest automated test support program, is the Navy's standard test equipment used to test avionics on aircraft carriers, shore-based Aviation Intermediate Maintenance Departments (AIMD), Marine Aviation Logistics Squadrons (MALS), and in depots throughout the United States.

Composed primarily of computer off-the-shelf (COTS) and non-developmental items (NDI) hardware, CASS supports repair of aircraft, surface, and other weapons systems electronics. The system repairs over 600 different assets, and after the complete off-load of legacy test benches from carriers and shore-based AIMDs, it will support a workload in excess of 2,300 different black boxes and circuit cards.

"The success of CASS is a significant example of the open, positive relationship between Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Navy and our team members," said Lockheed Martin Information Systems President John Hallal. "The U.S. Navy will keep aircraft in a fully ready state anywhere in the world using CASS stations, a proven reliable and cost-effective automated test system."

With the 500th CASS station delivery, the Navy projects savings in excess of $3 billion over the next 10 years. The complete fielding of CASS has lead to the reduction of legacy testers in the fleet and the associated costs of legacy tester training, spares, maintenance publications, manpower, and field support.

This system, a recognized DoD standard test system, provides general-purpose analog and digital test capabilities, extremely high radio frequency stimulus and measurement capabilities and electro-optical test functions. Four standard configurations of Navy CASS provide intermediate- and depot-level testing with system-to-component-level diagnostic capabilities. A field-deployable configuration is currently in development.

Michael Mulleavey, 407-306-1730, e-mail, mike.mulleavey@lmco.com