LOCKHEED MARTIN UK TEAM AWARDED KEY ELECTRIC ARMOUR RESEARCH PROGRAMME FOR THE FUTURE RAPID EFFECT SYSTEM    

London, England, 5 January 2006

Lockheed Martin UK has been awarded a contract by Atkins, the FRES Systems House, for an 18 month Electric Armour Technology Demonstrator Programme. This programme will enhance the maturity of this technology, define and assess constraints and determine the principles for integration of Electric Armour into all FRES type chassis, should it be proven to be sufficiently mature.

Electric Armour has shown the potential to significantly reduce the effectiveness of enemy weapon systems. An incoming threat has to pass through electrified layers producing powerful electromagnetic fields. This severely disrupts the threat and any residual debris is absorbed by the vehicle's existing armoured hull.

The ISQ Team, comprising Lockheed Martin UK INSYS as prime, with teammates SAIC and QinetiQ, has a proven background in project management and systems engineering expertise, access to world-class Electric Armour technology – including unique Electric Armour modeling tools – and the use of world-class test and evaluation facilities. These capabilities will be concentrated on the task of advancing Technology and System Readiness Levels prior to the next key FRES milestone.

Stephen Ball, Combat Systems Director of Lockheed Martin UK INSYS said “ We have a top rate team and world-class expertise in this area. We will make a major contribution to the application of this new technology that will provide essential enhanced crew protection across the widest possible range of FRES vehicles.”

Lockheed Martin UK, a unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, is a leader in systems integration working on major programmes spanning the aerospace, defence, civil and commercial sectors. In the UK, Lockheed Martin has annual sales in the range of £400-600 million working with more than 100 business partners. Lockheed Martin employs over 1500 people at 15 sites across the UK.

Headquartered in Bethesda, MD, Lockheed Martin employs about 135,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services.

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Media contact: Chris Martin +1525 843760; chris.martin@insys-ltd.co.uk

Chris Trippick +44 207 798 2888; email: chris.trippick@lmco.com

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