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Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract for Portable Radars

SYRACUSE, NY, May 29th, 2003 -- Saab Systems Pty Ltd of Adelaide, Australia awarded a $9.5 million contract to Lockheed Martin to provide five Portable Search and Target Acquisition Radars (PSTAR). Saab Systems' customer, the Australian Army, will use the radars to provide short-range air defense and to complement the five PSTARs it already owns. "The proven capability of the PSTARs and Saab's RBS 70 weapon systems will significantly reduce risks in the project while the enhanced radar performance will complement the overall performance improvements in the Army's Short Range Air Defense System," said Mark Slade, Saab Systems' project manager.

The PSTARs, which will be delivered in February and March 2005, belong to a next-generation radar system called PSTAR-Extended Range (PSTAR-ER). "Its range is expanded from 20 km to more than 30 km while still fitting into the same small package," said Paul Garvey, Lockheed Martin program manager, "plus the Australian Army will have enhanced radar display, and command and control capability."

A PSTAR and its associated transit cases fit into the back of a standard military vehicle such as an M-998-series High Mobility Multiwheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) and can be set up in 15 minutes or less by two people.

PSTARS are made at Lockheed Martin's facility in Syracuse, N.Y., and are currently deployed in five countries. Most recently, Lockheed Martin signed a contract with the Swiss Defence Procurement Agency in January to provide 24 of the radars.

Saab is one of the world's leading high-technology companies with its main operations focusing on defense, aviation and space. The group covers a broad spectrum of competence and capability in systems integration. The RBS 70 is a modern, man-portable short-range air defense system, which can be integrated with advanced Battlefield Management Systems, allowing a commander to vastly increase air defense capability. Saab Systems is Australia's leading systems integrator for naval and army command and control, fire control and command support systems.

A leader in the design, development and integration of radar systems, vessel traffic and port safety, simulation and training systems and other complex electronic systems, Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems (NE&SS) - Radar Systems serves a wide range of customers. These include all branches of the U.S. armed services, including the Coast Guard, as well as other agencies within the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security and State, and defense and transportation departments of countries on six continents. NE&SS-Radar Systems employs over 3,000 people with facilities in the U.S. and three other countries, and is a unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation.

Ellen Mitchell, 315-456-3296; ellen.mitchell@lmco.com