Lockheed Martin Selects Award-Winning Troy, AL, Facility as Production Site for Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System II
ORLANDO, FL, February 6th, 2006 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] plans to build the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II at its existing Pike County Operations facility in Troy, AL, if selected as contractor for the program. The final missile assembly will be in Troy, and seeker production will be at an existing facility in Ocala, FL.
"Affordability is an especially critical requirement on this program,” said Rick Edwards, vice president - Tactical Missiles, for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Both Troy and Ocala are customer-focused, world-class production facilities with strong track records of reducing costs in missile production. The whole idea of APKWS is to provide a low-cost precision strike weapon against non-armored targets in urban conflicts where collateral damage must be minimized – in short, a ‘HELLFIRE® Junior.”
The APKWS II is a 2.75-inch laser-guided rocket that will provide crews of the U.S. Army Apache and Marine Corps Cobra attack helicopters and other platforms with precision-strike capability against non-armored targets that do not require a 7-inch HELLFIRE missile – an option not presently available.
"Lockheed Martin's APKWS II design draws upon lessons learned on laser-guided weapons programs representing over 30 years and 90,000 rounds,” said Steve Barnoske, director - Tactical Missiles at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.
"We are the premier supplier of laser-guided munitions, including the first successful laser-guided 2.75-inch rocket, the Laser-Aided Rocket System (LARS), and continuing through the highly successful HELLFIRE II and Paveway Laser-Guided Bomb programs currently in production,” Barnoske added. "Building on the LARS experience and HELLFIRE technology, we offer a low-cost, low-risk guided rocket round that meets or exceeds all requirements. Since we already have the required production capability in place in Ocala and Troy, we can meet an aggressive schedule and get this much-needed capability to our customer quickly.”
"Lockheed Martin is extremely important to our community and to our country,” said Troy mayor Jimmy C. Lunsford. "The success of the missiles assembled in Troy is a source of pride for us, as well as important to the continued growth of our area. The APKWS II program is eagerly anticipated. The highly-trained Lockheed Martin workforce here in Troy will again prove to be the catalyst to make this program as successful as the HELLFIRE II and other missiles produced at this facility. As mayor, I am proud of the work Lockheed Martin has done in the past and I look forward to many years of growth in our community.”
The Troy facility currently produces HELLFIRE II air-to-ground missile, the THAAD™ missile and the JASSM™. The Ocala plant produces seekers and electronics for these missiles. The Troy facility has been honored with Industry Week's "America's Best Plants” award, Defense Investigative Service Cogswell Award, two Daedalian awards for program performance, the 2002 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing and the 2002 Alabama Manufacturer of the Year award.
Ocala has also won numerous awards, including a "Superior” security rating from DoD, a "Perfect Record” award from the National Safety Council and a "Meritorious Achievement” award from Energy, Environmental Safety and Health (EESH).
Jennifer Allen, (407) 356-5351
e-mail jennifer.l.allen@lmco.com
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