ASCENT SUPPLIERS’ DAY ACCELERATES FUTURE PARTNERING ARRANGEMENTS

London, England, June 15, 2006

Ascent, the team of Lockheed Martin UK and VT Group, has held the first suppliers’ day for the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) programme. Ascent is one of three consortia bidding for the UK MFTS programme.

More than 60 delegates representing 38 different companies attended the event at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers to learn more about the programme and discuss possible opportunities for involvement. The early identification and qualification of potential suppliers is part of the Ascent group's approach to achieve transitional risk reduction.

Jim Keeler, Ascent Project Director said: “The response to the industry day was impressive and illustrated our commitment to competition within UKMFTS. We know that creating effective partnering relationships with both the MoD and throughout the supply chain is essential to programme success. This event is a major step towards fostering the right environment for moving things forward promptly.”

“By bringing all these potential suppliers to the same level of knowledge and providing them with a clear method of engagement with Ascent we have made some fundamental advances which will significantly benefit the programme, should Ascent be selected as preferred bidder.”

In keeping with the framework provided by the Defence Industrial Strategy which calls for effective partnering, each delegate was given a detailed programme brief before discussions on each of the four key areas – Support and infrastructure, ground based training equipment, aircraft platforms and consultancy services – were held.

UKMFTS will replace the present flying training arrangements for the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force and the Army Air Corps before the end of the decade. VT Group plc is a leading defence and civil contractor and already provides nearly a third of the UK’s existing military flying training. Lockheed Martin is the largest provider of military flying training worldwide, designing, installing and operating the technology that manages the training for 16,000 aircrew annually. Lockheed Martin UK, a unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation, is a leader in systems integration working on major programmes spanning the aerospace, defence and civil sectors. Lockheed Martin works with more than 100 business partners and employs over 1500 people at 15 sites across the UK.

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Media Contact: John Fyall 02392 443 342; email: john.fyall@lmco.com

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