Transportation Industry

Company Watch - Lockheed Martin

AirGuide Business, June 23, 2008

Jun 23, 2008

Lockheed Martin's flight test plans for the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter call for 20 flights in conventional "up and away" mode. Lockheed will then replace the aircraft engine to allow short take-off and landing tests. Lockheed said Aircraft BF-1 completed its first test flight earlier this month. Jun 19, 2008

Lockheed Martin's KC-130J was selected for a specialized fleet of airlifters and tankers for the Air Force and Special Operations Command. The contract for six modified planes is initially worth $470 million but may allow Lockheed to sell as many as 115 more C-130Js to the military. Jun 18, 2008

Lockheed Martin has started work on a $1 billion contract to expand the FBI's fingerprint database. IBM also competed for the contract and protested the award to Lockheed, but that dispute is now resolved. IBM has joined Lockheed to develop a biometrics system that state and local officials will use. Jun 17, 2008

Lockheed Martin's F-35B Joint Strike Fighter is receiving more support from the DoD, but the future of the company's F-22 Raptor is less clear. " The JSF program is ahead of similar programs in terms of quality, software, testing and manufacturing readiness," noted Pentagon acquisitions official John Young. However, Lockheed needs more funding to continue production of the F-22; its production line will enter the final 12 months in October without additional funding. Jun 16, 2008

Lockheed Martin has received an initial contract to begin work on Morocco's order for 24 F-16 fighter jets. Pratt & Whitney also won a contract to provide engines for the planes. The total contract for the jets has a potential value of $2.4 billion. Jun 17, 2008

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