Lockheed Martin Receives JASSM® Contract For Integration Onto
Finnish Air Force F-18
ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Lockheed Martin
(NYSE: LMT) received a $5.1 million
Foreign Military Sale contract from the U.S. Air Force to support
integration of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)
onto the Finnish Air Force (FiAF) F-18C/D aircraft.
The contract is for the first phase of a six-year effort of
software development and aircraft integration support. Additional
contract awards are expected for remaining phases of integration
support, missile procurement and post-production support.
Finland is the second
international customer for JASSM, following the Commonwealth of
Australia, which became the first
export customer in February 2006.
"JASSM plays a critical role in giving allied warfighters the
operational flexibility, reliability and effectiveness necessary to
complete their missions," said Alan
Jackson, director of strike systems in Lockheed Martin's
Missiles and Fire Control business. "The team has worked hard to be
able to deliver this vital and affordable capability to our allied
partners."
JASSM integration will coincide with the FiAF Mid-Life Two
upgrade of their F-18 aircraft. The U.S. Navy will lead the
integration effort in coordination with the U.S. Air Force,
Lockheed Martin and the FiAF. Integration activities will take
place at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division in
China Lake, Calif.
The award aligns with the recent JASSM Production Lot 10
procurement contract to employ economies of scale, reducing cost
for both the U.S. Government and Finland. JASSM on the
F-18C/D enables Finland to fulfill
its regional defense role, as well as its European community and
North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Partnership for Peace
responsibilities.
The contract award follows several recent JASSM program
milestones, including the Lot 10 contract award, certification of
JASSM on the Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18 and successful
integration on the U.S. Air Force F-15E.
JASSM is an autonomous, air-to-ground, precision-guided standoff
missile designed to meet the needs of U.S. and allied warfighters.
Armed with a penetrator and blast fragmentation warhead, JASSM
cruises autonomously, day or night in all weather conditions. The
missile employs an infrared seeker and enhanced digital anti-jam
Global Positioning System to find specific points on targets.
The stealthy JASSM is integrated on the U.S. Air Force's B-1,
B-2, B-52, F-16 and F-15E. Internationally, JASSM is certified on
the F/A-18A/B for the Royal Australian Air Force. Future
integration efforts will focus on the U.S. and international
versions of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft
and other international platforms.
Produced at the company's manufacturing facility in Troy, Ala., Lockheed Martin has assembled more
than 1,100 JASSMs for testing and operational use toward a total
objective of 4,900 JASSM missiles.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md.,
Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about
120,000 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 2011 were $46.5 billion.
For additional information, visit our website:
http://www.lockheedmartin.com
SOURCE Lockheed Martin