Lockheed Martin Receives $53M Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Contract from U.S. Navy
ORLANDO, FL, May 2nd, 2003 -- Lockheed Martin received a $53 million, 5-year contract from the U.S. Navy for integration of its Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) on the Navy's F/A-18E/F aircraft. The JASSM program is currently in Low Rate Initial Production of Lots 1 and 2, which began in late 2001, for the U.S. Air Force. A Milestone III Full Rate Production decision is planned for the latter part of 2003. The U.S. Navy's F/A-18E/F integrated activity will lead to the planned procurement of 453 JASSM missiles starting in FY07.
"JASSM gives the Navy an unprecedented combination of range, survivability and lethality. Given these unique capabilities and cost effectiveness compared to other munitions, JASSM literally gives the Navy 'more bang for the buck'," said Randy Bigum, vice president of Strike Weapons at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
Lockheed Martin's team will join with the Navy for the integration of the production JASSM system on the F/A-18E/F aircraft. The effort will include extensive ground testing including structural verification, wind tunnel testing, and shipboard logistics demonstrations and validations. Flight testing will be conducted from Patuxent River, Md., and China Lake Naval Air Warfare Center - Weapons Division, Calif. The flight testing entails aircraft loads, performance, noise and vibration, and CATS & TRAPS flights. The program culminates with development and operational testing leading to flight certification and Fleet Release.
JASSM's mission-planning integration includes migrating the current weapon planning module to a Unique Planning Component (UPC) on the Joint Mission Planning System (JMPS) maximizing compatibility with the Navy mission-planning environment. The JASSM UPC will be integrated and validated with the F/A-18E/F mission planning UPC.
There is no new design or functionality requirements for the Navy missiles. Lockheed Martin's facility in Troy, Ala. will produce JASSM for the Navy units as it does for the U.S. Air Force.
Significant to the Navy is JASSM's insensitive munitions status. In 2001, the JASSM warhead team, which includes engineers from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin program offices, was recognized by the NATO Insensitive Munitions Information Centre as a fully-compliant insensitive munition the most significant advance in Insensitive Munitions technology in recent years. The insensitive munitions award certifies that JASSM provides increased safety and reduced vulnerability in combat and peacetime operations. The cost savings for both the Air Force and Navy is significant; but the principal motivation was the safety of our warfighter. The key to insensitive munitions success was a total systems approach from day one.
"JASSM on the F/A-18E/F provides the Navy warfighter with great standoff range, reducing risk in combat. It is an insensitive munition that will not detonate under any condition other than to destroy a target. This allows a greater number of missiles to be packaged, handled, stored and transported, which is critical to a shipboard environment," said George Mayer, PMA201 JASSM Navy Deputy.
A 2,000-pound class weapon with a dual-mode penetrator and blast fragmentation warhead, JASSM cruises autonomously in adverse weather, day or night, using a state-of-the-art infrared seeker in addition to the enhanced digital anti-jam Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to find a specific aimpoint on the target. Its stealthy airframe makes it extremely difficult to defend against.
The missile is planned for deployment on B-1, B-2, B-52, F-16, and F/A-18 aircraft and has a range greater than 200 miles.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control develops, manufactures and integrates world-class air defense, fire support, strike weapon, naval munition, combat vision, anti-armor and advanced product solutions and systems for U.S. and international armed forces.
Nettie Johnson, 407-356-5351
e-mail nettie.r.johnson@lmco.com
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