Lockheed Martin Corporation : Lockheed Martin Receives U.S. Air Force Approval For Sniper Pod Full-rate production under ATP-SE Program
January 16, 2013 at 04:24 pm
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Orlando, Fla., Jan. 16, 2013 - The U.S. Air Force approved full-rate production for Lockheed Martin's [NYSE: LMT] Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) under the ATP-Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) program.
Building on the technology of legacy ATP pods, Sniper pods in the new ATP-SE configuration provide expanded mission capability and recently completed stringent operational testing to confirm their maturity for fielding and full-rate production. Sniper is the only ATP-SE pod integrated and operational on the F-15E, B-1 and B-52 in addition to the F-16 and A-10.
"With Sniper ATP-SE, aircrews and ground forces can identify targets faster and farther away, boosting their situational awareness and ensuring their safety in high threat environments," said Bill Spangenberg, Sniper ATP program manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Initial deployment of Sniper ATP-SE pods will occur this year."
Sniper ATP provides superior detection ranges, stability and pointing accuracy while providing imagery for non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (NTISR). A video data link to ground receivers allows the Sniper pod to relay high-resolution streaming video to forward-deployed forces for rapid target coordination.
Under the U.S. Air Force's NET-T Quick Reaction Capability contract, Sniper ATP-SE enables a point-to-multipoint data link architecture that, when employed with other platforms, provides an extended range "beyond line-of-sight" capability allowing operators, analysts and decision makers access to real-time situational awareness data.
Combat proven, Sniper ATP is the only pod with advanced integration across all U.S. Air Force air-to-surface fighter and bomber aircraft. Sniper pods in the ATP-SE configuration feature new enhanced sensors, advanced processors and automated NTISR modes.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is a 2012 recipient of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award for performance excellence. The Malcolm Baldrige Award represents the highest honor that can be awarded to American companies for their achievements in leadership, strategic planning, customer relations, measurement, analysis, workforce excellence, operations and results.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 120,000 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 2011 were $46.5 billion.
Lockheed Martin Corporation specializes in the design, manufacturing and marketing of aeronautic, submarine, and aerospace systems. Net sales break down by activity as follows:
- sale of aeronautic systems (40.7%): military and civilian aircraft, primarily for government organizations;
- sale of helicopters, mission and electronic systems (24%): military and commercial helicopters, ships, sea and land-based missile defense systems, radars, sensors, sea and air-based mission and combat systems, training systems, cyber solutions, command, control and communication systems, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, simulation and training systems, etc.;
- sales of aerospace systems (18.7%): satellite systems, missile systems and space transport systems;
- sale of air defense and fire control systems (16.6%): air and missile defense systems, tactical missiles, precision strike weapons systems, fire control systems, etc. The group also offers support services for mission operations, preparation, technical support, integration services, etc.
Net sales break down by source of income into sales of products (83.3%) and services (16.7%).
Net sales are distributed geographically as follows: the United States (74.3%), Europe (9.5%), Asia/Pacific (8.3%), Middle East (5.8%) and other (2.1%).