Lockheed Martin received a $31.1 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for follow-on production of paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) kits.
The contract represents the majority share award of the available fiscal year 2013 funding. Production deliveries under this contract will include computer control groups and air foil groups for GBU-10 and GBU-12 bombs. The paveway II Plus LGB uses an enhanced laser guidance package, significantly improving precision when compared to existing paveway II LGBs.
“Lockheed Martin’s paveway II Plus LGBs deliver superior capability at the best value to the warfighter,” said Joe Serra, precision guided systems manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “The contract represents the seventh U.S. Air Force paveway II Plus award and extends production at our Archbald, Pa., facility through the end of 2014.”
The kit consists of a MAU-209C/B computer control group containing the electronic guidance system and an airfoil group to provide lift and stability to the weapons in standard GBU-10 MK-84 (2,000 lb.), GBU-12 MK-82 (500 lb.) and GBU-16 MK-83 (1,000 lb.) series configurations.
Lockheed Martin is a qualified provider of all three paveway II MK-80 series LGB variants and is the sole provider of the Enhanced Laser Guided Training Round and Dual Mode Laser Guided Bombs. Designed and manufactured at Lockheed Martin’s 350,000-square-foot production facility in Archbald, the company has delivered more than 130,000 training rounds, more than 70,000 paveway II LGB kits and 7,000 dual mode systems to the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and international customers.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control’s Archbald, Pa., facility was selected as one of IndustryWeek magazine’s “Best Plants” for 2013. The program recognizes facilities on the leading edge of manufacturing and operational excellence, with ongoing efforts to increase competitiveness, enhance customer satisfaction, and create stimulating and rewarding work environments.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 115,000 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 2013 were $45.4 billion.