LOCKHEED MARTIN ACHIEVES EARLY SUCCESS IN UK’s FIRST CEC TRIALS

30 June 2003

HAVANT, United Kingdom – June 30, 2003 – Lockheed Martin’s UK Cooperative Engagement Capability (UK CEC) programme for the Ministry of Defence has achieved a significant milestone with the first successful trials being completed a mere four days after the equipment was installed.

The trial was the first time that composite tracking using advanced CEC technology had been achieved in the UK to form one radar picture utilising sensor data gathered from two separate sites. Additionally, the trial was the first time that this technology had been installed and used outside the USA. One 996 naval radar was in operation at HMS COLLINGWOOD, with another at QinetiQ’s Portsdown Technology Park and both were connected by an encrypted broadband land-link that was hooked into the CEC technology. CEC technology tracked and analysed data from a trials aircraft flying demanding flight profiles in the Solent region against a cluttered radar backdrop.

Praising the early achievements of the trial, the MOD’s UK CEC project team leader, Captain Adrian Whyntie, Royal Navy, said: “The results were extremely encouraging with high-grade, quality tracking achieved. To accomplish these results - only four days after connecting together a complex network in a manner which has never been done in this country before – is a fantastic achievement by all concerned, especially the teams from Lockheed Martin, Johns Hopkin University Applied Physics Laboratory and QinetiQ. A very high level of commitment, dedication and enthusiasm was required to achieve this. It is frankly the best practical start to a programme that I could ever hope for.”

Commodore Ron Finlayson, Director of Equipment Capability Above Water Battlespace and MOD’s capability customer for CEC, said: “This is a great achievement which brings confidence to the programme. CEC is a leading example of Network Enabled Capability, which is key to the delivery of the New Chapter to the Strategic Defence Review."

Ron Christenson, Group Managing Director of Lockheed Martin UK Ltd Systems Integration said: “Sophisticated CEC technology could transform the maritime battlespace of the future. Lockheed Martin is at the forefront of technological innovation but just as importantly our customers demand and expect us to be able to manage programmes effectively and integrate many complex systems and subcontractors. This trial was a demonstration of our skills and experience in these areas but it is important to stress that it was primarily a team effort. The trial was a great early result and we are keen to build upon this success.”

As Prime Contractor, Lockheed Martin had to coordinate a significant number of stakeholders leading up to and during the test, including: Johns Hopkin University Applied Physics Laboratory; QinetiQ; HMS Collingwood; the MCTA trials team; AMS and FR Aviation.

Notes to Editors:

1. CEC represents a revolutionary advancement in air and missile defence. It works by fusing together information from individual ship’s radar with data from the rest of the fleet to create one all-encompassing radar image, giving force commanders an almost perfect picture of the aerial battlefield. By networking the radar a ‘gods-eye’ picture emerges which allows better and longer range visibility of incoming threats such as missiles and aircraft so ships can take defensive action.

2. The CEC system, already in use with the United States Navy, does not replace any single system. Instead it exploits current systems already in use – utilising their information-gathering hardware and then building on it. Additionally, CEC will allow much closer integration of UK and US assets in any US Navy led coalition operation.

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Lockheed Martin Media Contact:

Chris Trippick
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Email: chris.trippick@lmco.com

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