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Lockheed: Aegis getting even better, but limits in sight Lockheed Martin’s newest edition of Aegis will be the best it’s ever been, a top company official said Friday, but there’s only so much more that software and other upgrades can do with the existing radars aboard U.S. Navy and international warships. Jeff Bantle, the company’s vice president for naval combat and missile defense, told reporters that Aegis Baseline 9 will bring new levels of game-changery to cruisers and destroyers: It will be able to do air defense and ballistic missile defense simultaneously; use remote sensor data from tomorrow’s E-2D Advanced...

Smaller Navy Ship Has a Rocky Past and Key Support MOBILE, Ala. — The Navy’s newest ship is designed to battle Iranian attack boats, clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz, chase down Somali pirates and keep watch on China’s warships. The ones built here even look menacing, like Darth Vader on the sea. “It’s going to scare the hell out of folks,” said Representative Jo Bonner, the Alabama Republican who represents Mobile and is one of the ship’s biggest boosters in Congress. Mr. Bonner acknowledged that the ship had needed a “tweak” here and there — his allusion to...

Lockheed bags deal to supply laser-guided bombs to IAF US defence major Lockheed Martin has bagged a deal expected to be worth over Rs. 100 crore for supplying laser-guided bombs (LGBs) for the Jaguar fighter aircraft fleet in the Indian Air Force (IAF). The IAF plans to induct more than 100 bunker-buster LGBs for its Jaguar warplanes to destroy strongly fortified enemy targets. "We have emerged as the lowest bidders in the deal for supplying LGBs to the IAF. We have offered our Paveway II LGBs for the Jaguars and contract negotiations are on in this direction," Lockheed Martin India...

Lockheed Martin to celebrate delivery of 4,500th F-16 In late 1969, a conspiracy was hatched in secret all-night meetings in Washington, D.C.-area hotel rooms that would have a profound impact on military aviation and Fort Worth. A handful of people were at the meetings: two rebel Air Force colonels, a Pentagon analyst and a General Dynamics engineer. Their goal was to create a fighter jet -- a relatively simple, inexpensive plane that could be sold by the hundreds. Fortunately, the conspirators succeeded, probably beyond any of their wildest dreams. On Tuesday, Lockheed Martin will celebrate delivery of the 4,500th F-16,...

The Pentagon is focused on resolving complex software issues on the new Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet, even as it struggles to drive down costs, a top Pentagon official said on Friday, noting that software failures could "bring us to our knees." Air Force Major General John Thompson, the No. 2 official in charge of the huge multi-nation warplane development program, said the latest restructuring of the program had given officials enough resources and time to address future challenges. "Both the hardware and the software issues that we're addressing are all within the realm of being resolved," Thompson told...

Lockheed Martin expects to advance its F-35 deals with Japan and Israel within the next few months, leading to combined orders for more than 60 Joint Strike Fighters. Earlier this month, company officials visited Japan to discuss the nation's planned F-X purchase of 42 F-35As, following a competitive selection made last December. Tokyo is expected to approve a letter of agreement for the deal in March, with this document likely to be signed in June, says Stephen O'Bryan, Lockheed vice-president F-35 programme integration and business development. Dismissing Japanese media reports raising concerns over a possible increase in the F-35's unit...

US Air Force leaders are considering a redesign of the Lockheed Martin F-22 but still have no answers for the oxygen system breakdowns responsible for another operational disruption. F-22s based in Alaska were grounded for one day in mid-February after three separate pilots reported hypoxia symptoms, the Air Combat Command confirmed to Flightglobal. It was at least the third temporary stand-down for the F-22 since the USAF deactivated the entire fleet for four months until last September. But air force officials are no closer to identifying the cause of the string of incidents, including one fatal crash in November 2010...

UPDATE 1-Turkey keeps plan to buy 100 F-35 fighter jets * Turkey not currently thinking of abandoning purchases * Partners reconsidering orders amid delays, rising costs * Turkey to order two jets for 2015 delivery ISTANBUL, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Turkey is sticking to plans to buy 100 of Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jets for $16 billion, with an initial order of two planes for delivery in 2015, its defence minister said, amid concerns about the project's delays and rising costs. The Pentagon has said the $382 billion programme to build the radar-evading warplane was still showing "continued progress" and...

F-35 makes first test flights with external weapons By W.J. Hennigan, Los Angeles Times February 20, 2012, 3:36 p.m. The F-35, the military's next-generation fighter jet, has begun its first flight tests carrying external missiles at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert. The stealthy, supersonic fighter, built byLockheed Martin Corp., has been undergoing tests since its first flight in late 2006. The F-35, known as the Joint Strike Fighter, will be used by the Navy, Marines and Air Force. Three versions of the F-35 are being built — one that can operate off aircraft carriers, one capable of...

F-16V, New Avatar Of F-16 Fighter, Unveiled At The Singapore Air Show Lockheed Martin today announced the F-16V Fighting Falcon, the latest version of the world’s most successful fighter aircraft, at the Singapore Air Show 2012. The aircraft comes fitted with an active electronically scanning array(AESA) radar, an upgraded mission computer and cockpit improvements which will significantly enhances the operational capability of the aircraft. The aircraft will be offered to existing as well as potential customers looking for an avanced fourth generation fighter, said George Standridge, Lockheed Martin Vice President of business development. The F16V is a natural step in...

Italy seems certain to scale back its major investment in Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, heightening uncertainty over the troubled stealth jet's future. Defence Minister Giampaolo Di Paola has said repeatedly since January that the country's originally planned order of the 131 supersonic warplanes by 2018 was being "reviewed" because military spending cuts were necessary as part of Prime Minister Mario Monti's austerity plan to shore up public accounts. General Claudio Debertolis, secretary general of the Defence Ministry and the country's armaments chief, confirmed to lawmakers on Tuesday that cuts were expected. "There will be a revision of...

Fighter deals intensify global aerial arms race * Lockheed buoyed by Japan, Dassault by India * Boeing, partners in Eurofighter also looking for wins * Opportunities eyed elsewhere in Asia, Middle East * Hunger for deals comes as Western defense budgets trimmed By Rhys Jones and Tim Hepher Feb 3 (Reuters) - Big decisions on warplane purchases by Japan and India have intensified competition in the multi-billion-dollar global market, with Western defense firms scrambling for orders in Asia and the Middle East as their home-country budgets shrivel. Growing international unease over China's military build-up and ongoing tensions between Iran and...

Congressional caucus is determined to save F-35 WASHINGTON -- For all its high-tech stealth and record cost, the F-35 joint strike fighter embodies the droll military motto "hurry up and wait." Conceived in the heady post-Cold War 1990s, the futuristic fifth-generation jet fighter was to be a technological marvel built in a rush and paid for with "peace dividend" dollars. But now the fighter is billions over budget and years behind schedule. With the Pentagon facing $1 trillion in possible cuts, the F-35's high cost makes it a prime target. But thanks in part to campaign contributions from its main...

Is F-35 program flying high or sputtering? By Bob Cox rcox@star-telegram.com Now that the F-35 joint strike fighter program has gotten a pat on the back and morale boost from Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, officials at Lockheed Martin hope to put their recent run of bad report cards and bad press behind them. All those problems with the F-35 that have been reported of late? They're not that bad; they're being fixed. Just watch, they say. "We're starting to see a lot of good stuff happening," Tom Burbage, Lockheed's co-executive vice president and general manager overseeing the F-35 program, said...

Korea drops key stealth requirements By Lee Tae-hoon Seoul has decided to remove two key compulsory requirements initially set for 60 advanced fighter jets that it plans to purchase in an attempt to allow more companies to enter the competition for the nation’s largest-ever arms deal. “Korea cannot defend the national interest without competition,” said Noh Dae-lae, the commissioner of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) in a meeting with defense reporters Thursday. He stressed that the military will ease the required operational capabilities (ROC) of the FX-III project to secure a bigger “buying power” and a greater leverage in...

Lockheed reveals bold technology plans with 6th-gen fighter concept By: Stephen Trimble Washington DC Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works division has revealed a conceptual next-generation fighter design that offers the first hints of an ambitious, long-term technology strategy for the new class of tactical aircraft that will emerge after 2030. The concept - published in a 2012 calendar distributed to journalists - indicates the company will continue to seek new breakthroughs in performance despite the risk-averse culture of today's weapons buyers in the US military. Featuring an F-22-like nose, an unusually contoured wing and nearly flat canted tails, the concept suggests...

As most of America was preparing to flip its calendars last month, two defense contractors were hitting afterburners -- and blasting into the new year. Last week, the U.S. and Saudi Arabian governments finalized their contract for the sale of nearly $30 billion worth of fighter jets manufactured by Boeing (NYSE: BA ) . The deal includes an agreement that could lead to Saudi Arabia buying 84 F-15SAs and upgrades for another 70 F-15Ss. Of course, Boeing is not the only company that will benefit from this deal. General Electric (NYSE: GE ) will build two of its F110 engines...

Japan Chooses F-35 For Next Generation Fighter Jet . TOKYO—Japan's Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa said Tuesday that Tokyo has selected Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter as its next-generation jet, capping a multiyear vetting process to upgrade its aging fleet. The contract for the new fighter, dubbed the FX, totals 40 to 50 planes, according to Lockheed Martin, valued at an estimated $4 billion. It is Japan's most expensive fighter procurement ever and one of the world's largest military contracts this year. The Lockheed Martin jet won the contract over two lower-cost, combat-tested aircraft—Boeing Co.'s F-18 Super...

MARIETTA, Ga. , Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The final Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News) F-22 Raptor rolled off the assembly line here today and was commemorated with a ceremony recognizing contributions from thousands of people associated with the design and construction of the Raptor fleet. This F-22 Raptor (Lockheed Martin tail number 4195) now moves into production flight check and will deliver to the U.S. Air Force in 2012, completing the operational fleet at 187 jets. "This event honors the many men and women of Team Raptor who have taken this plane from concept to reality," said Jeff...

Korea to purchase 170 stealth cruise missiles next year Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Designed to destroy high value targets By Lee Tae-hoon Korea will purchase some 170 air-to-surface stealth cruise missiles next year capable of destroying high value targets such as military leaders or launching pads for nuclear weapons, multiple sources said Tuesday. A National Assembly official said the government has set aside 388 billion won ($343 million) to procure 177 low-observable, long-range, precision guided stand-off missiles that can be launched from F-15Ks, F-16Ks and other advanced jets after system integration. He said the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) from...