Monday, February 2, 2009

Lockheed Martin granted $35M Naval contract

By Brendan Lynch

Lockheed Martin Corp. reports its Marion facility has landed $35.8 million from the U.S. Navy to design and produce antenna buoy systems intended to expand the communications capabilities of submarines while they are submerged.

The Navy’s Communications at Speed and Depth (CSD) program plans to use expendable submarine and air-launched communications buoys to enable submarines operating below periscope depth and at tactical speeds to communicate with surface ships and land-based assets via satellite networks. All classes of U.S. Navy submarines will be equipped with this capability, according to Lockheed Martin officials.

Under the contract, a Lockheed Martin-led group of companies will develop three types of expendable communications buoys: two submarine-launched tethered buoys that provide real-time chat, data transfer and e-mail capabilities via either Iridium or UHF satellites; and an untethered, acoustic-to-radio frequency gateway buoy that can be launched from a submarine or maritime patrol aircraft to enable two-way data transfer between a submerged submarine and surface assets.

The contract also includes production of support equipment. If all contract options are exercised, the contract has a potential value of $177.9 million.

Companies working on the project include Braintree-based Ultra Electronics Ocean Systems Inc. and ERAPSCO.

Bethesda, Md.-based Lockheed Martin employs about 146,000 people, and reported