Sep 12, 2013 ASDNews Source : Lockheed Martin Corporation

    Netherlands Makes Call On Protected Communications Satellite

The Netherlands has become the second Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) international partner to communicate using the Lockheed Martin-produced [NYSE: LMT] satellite system. During July testing, for the first time three nations used the system simultaneously as The Netherlands connected to U.S., Canadian and domestic terminals.

AEHF provides vastly improved global, survivable, jam-proof, protected communications for strategic and tactical users on ground, sea and air platforms.

“AEHF’s ability to securely connect allies together is vital to current and future operations,” said Mark Calassa, vice president of Protected Communications Systems at Lockheed Martin. “We are hard at work delivering this global capability: Our fixed-price production builds are on schedule, we will launch a third satellite next week, and those users testing the system are extremely satisfied with this leap forward in capability.”

The U.S.-Canada-Netherlands team engaged AEHF-1 and AEHF-2 while completing test calls between international terminals. In separate tests, Dutch forces exchanged voice and data communications with the U.S. and Canada by connecting to the AEHF-2 satellite, crosslinking with AEHF-1 and downlinking to the U.S. Navy terminal in San Diego and a Canadian terminal at Shirley’s Bay, Ontario. By connecting with AEHF-2, The Netherlands also completed their first local AEHF call from ship to shore. Radios used in the tests include domestic and international versions of the Navy Multi-Band and Secure Mobile Anti-Jam Reliable Tactical (SMART-T) terminals.

The U.S. Air Force has been allowing select groups to use AEHF for testing as it fields the system, and the system has performed well as its user base grows with different terminal types. The Netherlands achievement follows Canada’s successful call in May. Both countries will continue testing for several months as they move toward initial operational capability. The United Kingdom is also scheduled to complete their first connection by the end of the year.

A single AEHF satellite provides greater total capacity than the entire legacy five-satellite Milstar constellation. Individual user data rates will increase five-fold, permitting transmission of tactical military communications, such as real-time video, battlefield maps and targeting data. In addition to its tactical mission, AEHF provides the critical survivable, protected and endurable communications links to national leaders, including presidential conferencing in all levels of conflict.

Lockheed Martin is under contract to deliver six AEHF satellites and the Mission Control Segment. Both AEHF-1 and AEHF-2 are on orbit, AEHF-3 was shipped for a September 18 launch and AEHF-4 is progressing on schedule. All satellites are assembled at the company’s Sunnyvale, Calif., facility.

12 September 2013 Ministry of Defence and Defence Equipment and Support

UK military pilots have been involved in the second round of vertical night landings at sea of the new F-35B Lightning II fighter aircraft.

Speaking at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) event in London, the UK Minister for Defence Equipment, Support and Technology, Philip Dunne, said:
 

Our Armed Forces will be equipped with the best next generation jet fighter machine, giving them the operational advantage they will need to protect our citizens for decades to come.

The fifth-generation stealth aircraft will fly from the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth Carriers from 2018.

A Medium Extended Air Defense System missile launches to intercept a target in November. Lockheed Martin is pursuing missile defense partnerships in the Middle East and Europe after the US announced it was backing out of the MEADS program. (US Army)

Sep. 11, 2013 - By PAUL McLEARY – Defense news

WASHINGTON — Like other US defense companies looking for international opportunities amid Pentagon spending cuts, Lockheed Martin executives say they’re aggressively pursuing missile defense business in the Middle East and Europe, and hope to make a controversial program the centerpiece of this effort.

The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS), a partnership between the United States, Italy and Germany, is gearing up for its final test in November, after which the US Army — after spending $2 billion on the program — will back out, leaving its two European partners to decide what to do next.

Germany and Italy have long vowed to continue work on the 360-degree missile-detection radar system. However, there is little chance they can pool the money to make up for the US funding that will go away.

Still, Mike Trotsky, vice president of Air & Missile Defense at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, which has helped develop the program, told reporters on Tuesday that the company is looking at a Polish missile defense program as a possible landing pad for MEADS.

“The Poles have the most mature acquisition that’s going on right now,” he said. “But we see a market for anybody who has aging short to medium-range air missile defense systems.”

Trotsky also said that the German and Italian governments might also be able to join with the Polish government to keep MEADS going after the Americans pull the plug, incorporating it into a larger Europe-wide missile defense system.

There are other opportunities for the system elsewhere in the Middle East and Asia, he said, where governments “have expressed informal interest, but nothing as formal as the Polish program, which actually has a budget.”

MEADS would have to beat out other European and Israeli systems to win the Polish deal.

While the US Army is backing out of continued funding for the program, Congress has mandated that the government consider harvesting what it can from the $2 billion investment already made in developing the system.

“The US also has a 30-year plan for air and missile defense that runs into the tens of billions of dollars,” Trotsky pointed out. Since Lockheed has developed two modern sensors, “I suspect what you’ll see is that those items get merged” into the long-term missile defense strategy, he said.

A day before Trotsky’s comments, Lockheed announced that a German launcher had arrived in the United States for integration ahead to the November test at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

MEADS had a successful intercept test there last November using the Italian configuration launcher, and MEADS authorities are planning to use the two European launchers in this year’s two-target flight test.

Sept. 09, 2013 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: DARPA; issued September 6, 2013)

Anti-Ship Missile Prototype Successfully Conducts First Solo Test Flight

Adversaries’ sophisticated air defense systems can make it difficult for current air- and surface-launched anti-ship missiles to hit their targets at long range. To engage specific enemy warships from beyond the reach of counter-fire systems, warfighters may require launching multiple missiles or employing overhead targeting assets such as radar-equipped planes or Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites—resources that may not always be available.

To help address these challenges, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) are collaborating on the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) program, which successfully launched its first prototype on August 27.

Designed for both surface and air launch, LRASM seeks to develop an autonomous, precision-guided anti-ship standoff missile based on the successful Joint Air to Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) system. LRASM aims to incorporate sensors and systems to create a stealthy and survivable subsonic cruise missile with reduced dependence on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, network links and GPS navigation in electronic warfare environments. The program also focuses on precision lethality in the face of advanced countermeasures.

“This fully functional test is a significant step in providing the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force with a next-generation anti-ship missile capability,” said Artie Mabbett, DARPA program manager for LRASM. “This test is the culmination of the five-year development and integration of advanced sensors in an All-Up-Round (AUR) missile. It also represents the first time we’ve integrated advanced sensors and demonstrated the entire system, resulting in performance that substantially exceeds our current capabilities.”

DARPA designed the free-flight transition test (FFTT) demonstration to verify the missile’s flight characteristics and assess subsystem and sensor performance. Beyond the primary objectives of the free-flight transition, the test vehicle also detected, engaged and hit an unmanned 260-foot Mobile Ship Target (MST) with an inert warhead.

A B-1 bomber from the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron conducted the mission from Dyess AFB, Tex., to the Point Mugu Sea Test Range off the coast of southern California. Once in position, the B-1 released the LRASM, which followed a pre-planned route towards the target. Approximately halfway to its destination, the weapon switched to autonomous guidance, in which it autonomously detected the moving MST and guided itself to hit the desired location on the target. A F/A-18 fighter from the Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 31 in China Lake, Calif., followed the weapon during the flight.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control (LMMFC) is the prime contractor for the demonstration of the LRASM weapon. BAE Systems’ Information and Electronic Systems Integration division is the prime contractor for the design and delivery of LRASM’s onboard sensor systems.

Sep 5, 2013 ASDNews Source : Lockheed Martin Corporation

Lockheed Martin’s [NYSE: LMT] Paveway II Dual Mode Laser Guided Bomb (DMLGB) was successfully employed in recent U.S. Navy Tactics Development exercises at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nev.

During four missions over a two-day period, F/A-18C/D Hornets and F/A-18E/F Super Hornets released 36 GBU-12F/B bombs fitted with recently upgraded paveway II DMLGB guidance kits. The weapons were used in tactically representative engagements against fixed targets and met all mission success criteria, demonstrating the increased operational utility of the enhancements.

By adding the GPS/Inertial Navigation System (INS) guidance to standard laser-guided paveway II weapons, the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps can execute precision-strike missions against stationary and relocatable targets in all weather conditions. The kits can operate in laser mode only, INS/GPS mode only or dual mode to provide pilots with the flexibility to engage various types of targets in a single mission. The most recent paveway II DMLGB upgrade to Block II Operational Flight Program software improves overall weapon performance and effectiveness in all three release modes.

“We worked closely with our U.S. Navy and Marine Corps customers to develop the Block II Operational Flight Program software upgrade to the paveway II DMLGB guidance kits,” said Joe Serra, precision guided systems manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “Delivered to the fleet earlier this year, the enhanced fire-and-forget technology of our DMLGB kits provides naval warfighters with a mature and highly maneuverable all-weather direct-attack capability.”

Aircrews from the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, along with Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Nine (VX-9) “Vampires” from Naval Air Weapons Station in China Lake, Calif., participated in the exercises.

“The same company-wide discipline that provides customers with affordable single-mode LGB targeting capability is applied to our current and future dual-mode weapons to provide U.S. and international customers with the most affordable and reliable precision capability,” said Serra.

Lockheed Martin has upgraded more than 7,000 paveway II LGB guidance kits with dual mode, all-weather capability for the U.S. Navy. Additionally, the company has delivered more than 65,000 LGB kits and over 125,000 Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and international customers. Lockheed Martin is the sole-source developer and provider of the paveway II DMLGB kits to the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is a 2012 recipient of the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for performance excellence. The Malcolm Baldrige Award represents the highest honor that can be awarded to American companies for achievement in leadership, strategic planning, customer relations, measurement, analysis, workforce excellence, operations and business results.

29 August 2013 by Dave Majumdar – FG

Washington DC - Lockheed Martin, Vision Systems International and the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) are making progress with solving night vision acuity problems on the F-35's helmet-mounted display, says a senior test pilot assigned to the programme.

Test pilots recently tested a modified second-generation helmet fitted with a new 1600x1200 resolution ISIE-11 night vision camera coupled with a new display management computer/helmet, says Lt Col Matt Kelly, an F-35 test pilot assigned to the JPO.

Kelly says the ISIE-11 immensely improves the helmet's night vision capabilities.

"The ISIE-11 has great potential for tactical operations," Kelly says of the new system. However, there is still a lot of work to do before the helmet is ready for fleet release - the system will have to be demonstrated in the air before test pilots give it a green light.

Meanwhile, the F-35 JPO is still funding parallel development work on a BAE Systems-developed helmet into the third quarter of 2014.

F-35B test pilots on the USS Wasp are using the existing helmet with the current ISIE-10 camera, which has been judged to have deficient night-vision performance.

The ISIE-10 has inferior night vision capability compared with the ANVIS-9 night vision goggles (NVGs) used in the Boeing AV-8B and F/A-18. However, pilots say it is easier to land the F-35B unaided by the night vision camera on a ship than a AV-8B with NVGs.

US Navy's F-35C aircraft performing in-flight refuelling task. Photo Lockheed Martin.

28 August 2013 naval-technology.com

The US Navy's F-35C Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF) carrier variant (CV) aircraft has successfully conducted the first in-flight refuelling trials with a US Air Force's (USAF) KC-135 aircraft at an undisclosed location.

During the testing, the aircraft, also known as CF-1, successfully refuelled with a USAF's Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft.

After completing this testing, the aircraft now joins the A and B models in proving that all three variants of the F-35 are capable of refuelling from a common tanker platform, despite their different methods.

The US Navy's first F-35C Lightning II carrier variant aircraft squadron, the Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101 completed the F-35C first flight test at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida, US.

Scheduled to achieve initial operational capability in 2019, the F-35C catapult-assisted takeoff barrier arrested recovery (CATOBAR) aircraft features advanced stealth technology with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.

The aircraft is also being developed in two other variants, conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant for the US Air Force, and a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft for the US Marine Corps and UK Royal Navy.

Powered by a single Pratt and Whitney F135 turbofan engine, the F-35C can fly at a maximum speed of 1,960km/h and can be launched through a steam catapult and recovered by using a tailhook arrestor.

The F-35C stealth bomber aircraft will complement the US Navy's currently operational Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighter, by providing enhanced flexibility, power projection and strike capabilities.

VFA 101 will train aircrew and maintenance personnel to operate and repair the F-35C aircraft for the US Navy.

Aug 27, 2013 ASDNews Source : Lockheed Martin Corporation

The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin $206 million in additional orders for the AN/TPQ-53 (Q-53), a long-range counterfire radar that provides soldiers with enhanced 360-degree protection from indirect fire.

This contract is for 19 Q-53 systems, formerly designated as EQ-36. To date Lockheed Martin has delivered 32 initial production systems to the U.S. Army and is currently producing an additional 33 systems, which were awarded in March 2012. This latest contract builds on those 33 systems currently in production.

“The Q-53 radar is helping to save the lives of U.S. forces through its exceptional performance in theater” said Lee Flake, program director for counterfire target acquisition radar programs at Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems & Training business. “Deployed since 2010, we have listened to feedback from our soldiers to ensure the system meets operational demands and is evolving to stay ahead of global threats.”

Mounted on a five-ton truck, the Q-53 can be rapidly deployed, automatically leveled and remotely operated with a laptop computer or from a fully equipped climate-controlled command vehicle.

Lockheed Martin won the competitive development contract for the Q-53 radar – then known as EQ-36 – in 2007. Responding to urgent need statements from theater and following early program successes, the Army awarded the company an accelerated contract for 12 initial production systems in July 2008 and a contract with options for an additional 20 systems in April 2010. The Army began deploying Q-53 systems to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan in fall 2010. The March 2012 contract for 33 systems was a combination of low-rate initial production orders one and two.

Work on the Q-53 radar contract will be performed at Lockheed Martin facilities in Syracuse, N.Y., Moorestown, N.J., Akron, Ohio, and Clearwater, Fla.

Aug 23, 2013 ASDNews Source : The Lockheed Martin

The Lockheed Martin and U.S. Navy team's (NYSE: LMT) Aegis Combat System successfully completed the first live firing test that proves the system can defend beyond its line of sight by integrating data from a remote sensor to intercept a target.

The latest Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA) test marks the first test at sea, and the second consecutive time this year, where Aegis used remote data to successfully intercept a target. Using the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) to interpret data from remote sources, Aegis launched a Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) missile from the USS Chancellorsville (CG-62) to intercept the target.

"The latest NIFC-CA test demonstrated how the Aegis Combat System has taken a significant step forward in increasing interoperability with remote systems to extend the distance that we can detect, analyze and intercept targets," said Jim Sheridan, director of U.S. Navy Aegis programs for Lockheed Martin. "We continue to use our advanced solutions to provide the Navy with the robust and reliable capabilities needed to defend our nation from sophisticated threats."

As a result of the successful NIFC-CA test, Aegis proved once again that it can transform and adapt to threats and address a changing defense landscape. The U.S. Navy and Lockheed Martin are committed to modernization programs for the Aegis Combat System on cruisers and destroyers to extend service life and provide new technologies to the ships and their crews. Ships receiving Aegis system upgrades will field Open Architecture and Commercial Off-the-Shelf technologies that will reduce total ownership costs and ensure military readiness for ongoing missile defense needs.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 116,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The Corporation's net sales for 2012 were $47.2 billion.

Jul 26, 2013 ASDNews Source : Lockheed Martin Corporation

The 100th Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II, the first aircraft destined for Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Ariz., has entered the last stage of final assembly. This conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft, known as AF-41, is scheduled to arrive at the base next year. During final assembly, the aircraft structure is completed, and electrical and hydraulic systems are added. Additionally, these systems are tested in preparation for fuel systems checks and engine runs. The final steps prior to acceptance by the Air Force include a series of checkout flights leading to the aircraft entering the service’s F-35 fleet. AF-41 is one of 126 F-35s in various stages of production worldwide.

In June, the Air Force announced its decision to increase the number of squadrons at Luke AFB to six with 144 aircraft, which will make it the largest F-35 base worldwide.  In addition to training U.S. pilots, Luke will also serve as an F-35A International Training site. Currently, Luke’s economic impact on the state of Arizona is $2.17 Billion. With 14 F-35 suppliers in the state of Arizona, the program has an additional economic impact of $98Million.

18 July 2013 Ministry of Defence

The Royal Air Force's famous 'Dambusters' will be the first operational UK squadron to use the Lightning II aircraft.

The next Lightning II squadron to stand up will carry a Royal Navy squadron number but be similarly jointly manned.

Air Chief Marshal Dalton said:

July 11, 2013 Source: Lockheed Martin

F-35 Pilot Cadre Grows To 100 As Training Ramps Up At Eglin Air Force Base

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla.--- Maj. Robert Miller became the 100th pilot to fly the Lockheed Martin (LMT) F-35 Lightning II when he took to the skies above Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., for a training flight on July 9.

Miller's 90-minute familiarization flight included normal operations for aircraft handling and landings in an F-35A fighter. The flight followed academic and simulator instruction at Eglin Air Force Base's Integrated Training Center, which provides pilot and maintainer training for the three F-35 variants.

"It was great to get airborne today. The jet handles well and is very easy to fly. I'm looking forward to testing the combat capabilities of the F-35 over the next few years at Edwards," said Miller.

Miller, currently assigned to the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., has spent 11 years in the Air Force and has flown more than 1,300 hours in the F-16, including 369 combat hours. He joins an experienced cadre of F-35 pilots among the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, the United Kingdom and industry.

"Maj. Miller is representative of the highly-trained pilots populating the F-35 community," said Col. Todd Canterbury, commander of Eglin's 33d Fighter Wing. "This milestone is significant because it shows the program is maturing rapidly and highlights the successful implementation of a world-class training program and development of the F-35 Lightning II for the combat air forces. We are excited to have produced the 100th F-35 Lightning II pilot."

The joint service partners at Eglin Air Force Base have flown 2,292 F-35 hours and have 28 aircraft assigned, representing the largest fleet of F-35s in the world. Approximately 100 pilots and 2,200 maintainers will be qualified annually through the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Training System at the base to support initial operational capability targets. The Lockheed Martin training system is also operational at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least 10 other countries.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 118,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The Corporation's net sales for 2012 were $47.2 billion.

Jul 12, 2013 ASDNews Source : Lockheed Martin Corporation

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] recently completed a series of Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) captive carry flight tests at the Sea Range in Point Mugu, Calif., advancing the research program toward its first missile release and free flight test later this year.

The captive carry missions were flown aboard a U.S. Air Force B-1B from the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The primary mission objectives were to collect telemetry for post-flight analysis, verify proper control room telemetry displays and simulate all the test activities that will occur in later air-launched flight tests. All test objectives were met.

“Collecting telemetry data while flying in the B-1B bomb bay significantly reduces risk ahead of the first launch,” said Mike Fleming, LRASM air launch program manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “Initial assessments indicate the missile performed as expected.”

The LRASM program is in development with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) and the Office of Naval Research. After a competition in 2009, Lockheed Martin’s LRASM was selected to demonstrate air- and surface-launched capability to defeat emerging sea-based threats at significant standoff ranges.

LRASM is an autonomous, precision-guided anti-ship standoff missile leveraging the successful Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) heritage, and is designed to meet the needs of U.S. Navy and Air Force warfighters in a robust anti-access/area-denial threat environment.

Armed with a proven 1,000-lb. penetrator and blast-fragmentation warhead, LRASM employs a multi-mode sensor, weapon data link and an enhanced digital anti-jam Global Positioning System to detect and destroy specific targets within a group of ships.