Lockheed wins $766M military radio deal

Lockheed Martin Corp. will provide advanced radio systems for the military under a Defense Department contract worth $766 million.

The development and demonstration award from DOD's Joint Tactical Radio System program office calls for Lockheed Martin's Airborne and Maritime/Fixed Stations division to design, test and deliver new tactical networked communications solutions to the Air Force, Army, Navy and other users. Lockheed beat Boeing Co. in the competition, according to media reports.

Launched in 1997, JTRS is part of the Tactical Global Information Grid strategy to develop a family of software-programmable tactical radios that will give troops voice, data and video communications after 2010.

The interoperable radios will be able to transmit voice, video and other data. Most important, they will enable forces from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines to communicate and share information with each other.

The AMF JTRS team will provide radios for more than 160 fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, submarines and surface ships, and land-based stations worldwide.

The program extends network-centric warfare beyond the command center to the tactical edge, said John Mengucci, president of Mission and Combat Support Solutions at Lockheed Martin's Information Systems and Global Services.

Lockheed's contracting team includes BAE Systems Inc., General Dynamics Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp. and Raytheon Co.

The work will take place at as many as 10 locations around the country. Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., will oversee the contract.

Lockheed Martin, of Bethesda, Md., ranks No. 1 on Washington Technology's 2007 Top 100 list of the largest federal government prime contractors.