Army Extends Lockheed's Hellfire Contract

Last month, Army forces in Iraq had an urgent need for one of the 15 variants of Hellfire missiles that Lockheed Martin supports under its contract with the Army.

A contract option to cover the work was quickly approved, and Lockheed Martin was able to convert the first 100 missiles this month so they could be transported to troops in Iraq. The task was completed in less than 30 days.

"The flexibility of this contract allows the government to respond quickly to war fighter needs," said Brian Vogt, Hellfire program senior manager at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.

Lockheed Martin of Bethesda won a $58.3 million contract to continue providing depot maintenance support for the Hellfire II Modular Missile System through 2010. The depot performs post-production support and maintenance on the different variants of the Hellfire missile that are manufactured by the company at other facilities it has in the Southeast.

Under the contract, Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control of Dallas will continue furnishing repair, reset and retrofitting services for the Hellfire II. The company also will provide field support for a handful of Army bases in the United States and Iraq.

Fifteen company employees work at the missile depot, Vogt said. That number goes up or down depending on the amount of work the Army requests. Field teams test the launchers, assist with live-fire scenarios and provide technical assistance.

The Hellfire II is a laser-guided missile used for precision strikes on targets ranging from lightly armored vehicles and tanks to bunkers and caves. All four branches of the U.S. military use the Hellfire II missile, which is mounted on Apache, Cobra and Seahawk attack helicopters, as well as the Kiowa Warrior scout helicopter and the Predator unmanned aerial vehicle. More than 3,000 Hellfire missiles have been used in the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, the company said.

Missile production is a strong core business area for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Vogt said. The unit owns and operates a plant that produces missiles and seekers in Ocala, Fla., and the final assembly plant in Troy, Ala. In addition to its work for the Army, Lockheed Martin also manages military depots for the Air Force and Navy and makes missiles for all three services. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, which is part of the company's Electronic Systems Business Area, has 10,000 employees.

Vogt said Lockheed's past performance on the project and its customer relationships contributed to it being selected to continue running the government-owned, contractor-operated facility. The contract award "reflects the confidence the government has in Lockheed Martin's logistics business base," he said.

William Welsh is deputy editor of Washington Technology. For information on this and other contracts, go tohttp://www.washingtontechnology.com.