BETHESDA, Md. , Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Two Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) programs, the F-35 Lightning II Fighter and TSAT Mission Operations System (TMOS), were recently awarded 2008 AVIATION WEEK Program Excellence Awards. The awards are presented annually to recognize best practices in program leadership encompassing the commitment necessary to develop, implement and build on complex aerospace and defense programs.
Lockheed Martin's F-35 Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing (STOVL) First Flight program received the highest honor, the Overall Program Excellence Award. The award is based on the Program Excellence metrics (value creation, managing complexity, organizational development, and meeting requirements), as well as lessons learned and game-changing leadership. The TMOS program was the winner in the System Research and Development Category. The STOVL program was the runner-up in this category as well.
Three Lockheed Martin senior executives, Dan Crowley , executive vice president and F-35 general manager; Tom Burbage , executive vice president and general manager of F-35 Program Integration and Michael McClary , Program Management Vice President, Information Systems & Global Services, were on hand to accept the awards at the AVIATION WEEK 2008 Aerospace and Defense Conference Program Excellence Awards, Nov. 13 in San Diego, Calif.
"I am honored that Lockheed Martin Aeronautics has been presented with this prestigious award," Crowley said. "This award recognizes the dedication and commitment that Lockheed Martin, its partners and employees have devoted to the program. We are proud of our achievements, proud of our people, and proud to be a part of this global trend-setting program."
"The F-35 STOVL variant, known as the F-35B, began flying in June and was the culmination of two years of focused, intense commitment by the JSF STOVL team and F-35 program office customer to deliver on a promise we made in 2006," Burbage said. "The first flight was also a major first step on a path toward meeting the fleet modernization needs of the U.S. Marine Corps, the Royal Air Force and Navy, and the Italian Air Force and Navy."
Speaking on behalf of the TMOS program, McClary said, "Lockheed Martin is proud to be recognized for its best practices on the TMOS program and can attribute this success to a combination of factors including a high level of government interaction and true partnership along with a disciplined pre-award risk reduction strategy, well defined processes and tools, and early network prototyping."
The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter. Three F-35 variants derived from a common design, developed together and using the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide will replace at least 13 types of aircraft for 11 nations initially, making the Lightning II the most cost-effective fighter program in history.
Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.
Under the TMOS contract awarded in January 2006 , Lockheed Martin is responsible for the TSAT network architecture and TMOS design, integration and testing in support of TSAT satellites, globally distributed terminals and tactical/ Global Information Grid (GIG) network interconnections. TMOS will enable TSAT interfaces to the GIG to improve warfighter communications around the world. TMOS will also enable improved situational awareness by providing a greater degree of information sharing from Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance assets to warfighters on the network.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md. , Lockheed Martin is a global security
company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged
in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment
of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation
reported 2007 sales of
SOURCE Lockheed Martin Corporation
