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The article reveals that procurement officials at the U.S. Defense Department and in the intelligence community are expected to make decisions that will impact the shape and constitution of their future satellite fleets. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are the traditional next-generation satellite makers. Particular focus is given to the entry of smaller, simpler satellites into Pentagon and intelligence architectures, as well as the development of the Space-Based Infrared System (Sbirs) early-missile-warning constellation.

The article reports that Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are taking very different design approaches as they compete to address the Missile Defense Agency's growing concerns about tracking and destroying multiple targets, even decoys, lofted by ballistic missiles aimed at the U.S. Intelligence officials are concerned that decoy technologies developed by the former Soviet Union and Russia have spread to would-be adversaries or could be duplicated by countries building up arsenals of ballistic missiles.

The article examines negotiations between the U.S. Department of Defense and the aerospace industry firm Lockheed Martin over costs in the design and construction of the Joint Strke Fighter (JSF), a jet fighter under development by the firm. An increase in the estimates of costs of the program by the department could lead to a reduction in the number of the airplanes ordered when the Congress appropriates funds for the fighter when it enters production.

The article reports that Lockheed Martin will continue work on its first Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) spacecraft as the U.S. Department of Defense debates how to proceed with the Transformational Satellite (TSAT) program. The AEHF system will be part of a new series of satellites that will follow the Milstar constellation and will also provide jam-proof communications for users until the next program.

The article reports that engineers at Lockheed Martin are preparing the first new-generation anti-jam military communications satellite for launch early in 2009. The initial Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite will mark a dramatic change in the capacity of secure communications available to U.S. Department of Defense users between 65 degree North and 65 degree South latitudes.

The article informs that the U.S. Department of Defense's long-awaited study on future airborne refueling alternatives could surface any day, and it is expected to support buying a larger, multirole tanker. To soften the blow, officials hint that they are considering concepts for a future transport program that could deliver cargo to the battlefield more stealthily and thereby better support the Army's goal of morphing into a smaller, lighter and more forward-postured force. Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. have both sent senior-level vice presidents to the Pentagon to brief their concepts. Critics suggest the Pentagon will avoid releasing MCS during the upcoming election season for fear of generating a debate about the administration's decision.

The article discusses problems with the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine used in the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, focusing on how the issue could cause a delay in the operational debut of the aircraft. Other topics include the redesigning of engine components by the engine builder Pratt & Whitney, response to a fire in one of the F135 engines by defense contractor Lockheed Martin, and the payment for fixes by Pratt & Whitney.

The article discusses the U.S. Air Force's GPS III (global positioning system) program, examining possible funding cuts by the U.S. Department of Defense, the development of the satellite constellation by Lockheed Martin, and the use of jammers to block GPS signals. Other topics include the dual launch of satellites by Lockheed Martin and the United Launch Alliance, the use of common practices to reduce costs, and upgrades to the Air Force's GPS constellation.

The article discusses the U.S. missile defense market, examining the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) decision to keep Boeing as prime contractor for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) missile shield. Boeing and Northrop Grumman won the contract over Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. The sale of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) system to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the fixed-price and cost-plus elements of the GMD contract are examined.

The article discusses contract negotiations between aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Defense Department. According to the article, development of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter planes has fallen behind schedule and both organizations believe the other should be responsible for the resulting overruns.

The article reports that the aerospace company Lockheed Martin believes that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) will fall below the negotiated ceiling prices. The cost targets for the conventional takeoff-and-landing (CTOL), the short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing (Stovl), and the carrier variant (CV) in the low-rate initial production (LRIP) Lot 4 are provided. Available awards under a fixed-price incentive-fee defense contract with the U.S. Department of Defense are examined.

The article discusses the potential shutdown of the production run of the F-16 jet fighter by the aerospace company Lockheed Martin. Deals with countries including Oman, Iraq, and Taiwan have been delayed due to concerns about the ability of pilots to operate the system, unrest in the Middle East, and objections from China. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) does not plan to procure more F-16s, but it waiting for the introduction of the F-35 fighter plane.

The article discusses the negotiations between manufacturer Lockheed Martin, the U.S, and Israel regarding the price restructuring of the multinational Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) as part of the F-35 program. Topics include an overview of the F-35 program, which was approved by the U.S. Department of Defense, and cost overruns that prompted Israel to buy less than they previously agreed.

The article reports that manufacturer Lockheed Martin is expecting to produce the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft at a lower cost than anticipated as of 2010, to allow the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to reserve excess funds for purchasing more aircraft annually. The firm hopes to recover up to 90 stealth fighter planes that were lost in the recent program restructuring. According to the Congressional Research Service, the estimated cost of developing JSF as of December 2009 is approximately 47.1 billion dollars.

The article focuses on the support of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) officials to a forecast by the Joint Estimate Team (JET) on the possible delay in the schedules of flight testing and development of the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft program, which is currently planned for October 2014. It states the importance of meeting the productivity of such flight-test to the prevention of cost increases predicted by the JET. Also noted is the confidence of Lockheed Martin in its optimistic schedule for the completion of such program.

The article reports on a successful test conducted on the U.S. Air Force Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (Jassm) from Lockheed Martin's production line. Fifteen of 16 stealthy AGM-158 cruise missiles were able to hit and destroy their targets during a round of light trials. Despite an improvement in the performance of the latest cruise missiles in terms of reliability, problems related to retrofit requirements remain.

The article reports on the retrofitting of the troubled cruise missiles delivered to the U.S. Air Force. It states that the Lot 6 acceptance tests for the Lockheed Martin Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (Jassm) were scheduled in August 2009. According to David Van Buren, acting assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, if the next round of missiles do not perform well, then it will not be good for the program.

The article focuses on the impact of U.S. Navy-led weapon data-link development issues on the U.S. Air Force competition between Raytheon and a Boeing/Lockheed Martin team for the development of a new 250-pound bomb. The Small-Diameter Bomb II competition, aimed at developing a small weapon capable of destroying targets in all weather conditions, day or night, involved a $150 million financing for each of the competitors. The winning manufacturer would receive funding from the U.S. government for the development of a tri-mode seeker.

The article discusses upgrades being considered to improve the ability of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II to absorb heat from its powerful electronics and systems. U.S. Marine Corps Major General David Heinz is asking contractors to assess the costs of changes to give it a bigger margin over the requirement. The distribution of heat to the remaining fuel while operating in hot conditions is the toughest of the specification. An operational cooling strategy is being looked into aside from potential design changes.

The article looks at issues concerning a clause in Lockheed Martin's F-22 contract with the U.S. Department of Defense. The clause is expected to cost taxpayers $147 million and will be applied if production of the Raptor is canceled because senior civilian defense officials refuse to spend congressional funds appropriated for the production of 20 additional aircraft. According to officials within the aerospace industry, it should not to be considered a penalty clause but part of the Tail-up section for any multi-year contract.

The article reports that the U.S. Army has restarted efforts to field a modern Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) intelligence aircraft via increments. It states that the forthcoming ACS will have room for payload growth, correcting a major shortcoming of a Lockheed Martin proposal. Colonel Rob Carpenter states that the primary focus for ACS Increment I is for a low-risk sigint package and connectivity to unmanned aerial systems (UAS).

The article discusses the export plans for military airplanes under the administration of President-elect Barack Obama. Obama is reported to review the U.S. Air Force's focus on buying stealthy fighters, leaving Boeing's F-15 and Lockheed Martin's F-16 production lines reliant on foreign customers. One industry source suggests that the Air National Guard might be interested in considering buying more F-16s or F-15s as its current inventory ages. The U.S. Navy is figuring how to avoid a shortfall of 69-125 aircraft in its fighter fleet.

The article reports that Northrop Grumman was given approval by the U.S. State Department to market its Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to Spain. The country hopes to employ the high-flying, long-endurance UAV on maritime and overland surveillance missions. On the other hand, the Government Accountability Office is sifting through a Lockheed Martin/General Atomics protest regarding Navy's Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) program which favored Northrop Grumman.

The article reports on the negotiation of EADS with U.S. companies to find a production partner in its quest to offer the A400M transport to the U.S. Department of Defense. Executives from EADS North America have held discussions with both Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin about assembling the A400M in the U.S. if the aircraft can find a place in that country's fleet. EADS officials may regard the A400M as a good fit for Lockheed Martin in the event production of the rival C-130J, manufactured in Marietta, Georgia.

The article focuses on the concerns of governments on the industrial base for combat aircraft. In the U.S., military airframers, Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman, are participating in a study intended to assess the status of the future industrial base and secure capabilities required for future fighters and bombers. In Europe, the four Eurofighter partner nations are struggling to strike a deal for the third Typhoon production tranche, while France is pushing for further consolidation of the region's combat aircraft sector.

The article reports on the decision of the U.S. Navy to select a Northrop Grumman to design its new surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles. The decision appears to secure the company's foothold as that service's preferred unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) provider. The April 22, 2008 announcement also stamped out Lockheed Martin's attempt, as a prime contractor for a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' Predator-derived design, to break into the Navy Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) UAV market.

The article reports on the budget plan by the U.S. Department of Defense for fiscal 2009. The department's $515.4-billion request for fiscal 2009 will leave the successor of U.S. President George W. Bush with a host of unpaid bills and unanswered questions about the fate of some major acquisition programs. The budget request lacks funding to shut down the Lockheed Martin F-22 line as well as any seed money for future purchases.

The article reports on the decision of aircraft makers to explore options at different ends of the airlift spectrum due to a global shortage in military airlift capacity. A new turboprop airlifter design is being worked on by EADS CASA while Boeing and Lockheed Martin offer proposals to the U.S. Air Force (USAF) for strategic airlifter fleet.

The article reports on the concerns of the U.S. Air Force regarding the reliability of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile(Jassm), a stealthy cruise missile being produced by Lockheed Martin. The Jassm is critical to the U.S. Air Force's conventional long-range precision strike capability. It will provide legacy platforms with the ability to attack targets at ranges beyond the present generation of long-range Russian double-digit surface-to-air missile systems.

This article reports that two recent measures in the U.S. Congress could breathe new life into production and sales of the Lockheed Martin Corp.-built aircraft. U.S. Representative Kay Granger, who represents Lockheed Martin's massive Fort Worth, Texas production facility, sponsored the amendment last week that repealed an earlier law prohibiting F-22 sales internationally. Representative David Obey proposed the restrictive language in 1997. It has been law since and will remain so until U.S. President George W. Bush signs the Fiscal 2007 defense spending bill.

This article reports that the U.S. Air Force is expecting to announce new cost overruns in a $4-billion Boeing program to modernize the avionics on 434 C-130 aircrafts, prompting talk of scrapping or downsizing the effort, possibly to buy new Lockheed Martin C-130J airplanes instead. The Air Force has scaled back the number of aircraft participating in the Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) to 434 from the 519 planned in 2001 as a result of cracks found in the oldest C-130E center wing boxes. Boeing Co., won the C-130 AMP in 2001, beating out C-130 manufacturer Lockheed Martin Corp., BAE Systems and L-3 Communications. Although Boeing managed to hold onto the massive development contract, the U.S. Government Accountability Office directed the Air Force to conduct a competition for production of the AMP installation kits, which is not expected to be underway until 2009. So, the pressure is for Boeing to demonstrate AMP in the coming months. It calls for removing more than 30 old steam gauges and 1960s-era indicators, replacing them with six 6 X 8-in. flat-panel displays, two large heads-up displays, two multifunction control displays and new communications and navigation panels.

The article focuses on implications of the case filed by Lockheed Martin Corp., against its rival Boeing Co., for using stolen documents during a rocket competition nearly a decade ago. The U.S. Justice Department reached an agreement with Boeing last week to pay $615 million in penalties for its misdeeds, although it will not pursue criminal charges against the aerospace giant despite significant evidence in the document scandal and the company's illegal job negotiations with a former Air Force procurement official. Lockheed Martin last year agreed to drop the lawsuit if the government approves a plan to merge its and Boeing's rocket-making businesses. Both companies had been losing money on their Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle families, and combining operations would save money for the government and improve their business cases. While Lockheed Martin is eager to get the deal approved, Boeing is less anxious to agree to reduced pricing.

The article reports that the U.S. and Europe soon are expected to decide whether to embrace an upgraded Patriot interceptor for their Medium Extended Air Defense System, marking one of several important events ahead this year for naval-, ground- and space-based missile defense projects. Lockheed Martin Corp. has been developing a longer-range version of its Patriot Advanced Capability missile since 2003 for eventual use on U.S. Army air defense batteries. Now, Germany, Italy and the U.S. are considering making the improved weapon, called Missile Segment Enhancement, part of the baseline Meads project.

The article due to rising costs, the U.S. Congress is cutting milspace projects. The $453.5-billion Fiscal 2006 Defense appropriations bill, passed late last month, also shows the Congress is willing to block the White House and Pentagon from killing programs, like Lockheed Martin Corp.'s C-130J transport or the Boeing Co.'s F-15 Strike Eagle, that mean thousands of defense industry jobs back home. The multinational Joint Strike Fighter program will receive $4.8 billion for research and development, $200 million less than the Pentagon requested, because of instability in the aircraft's design.

The article focuses on the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) which rocked the aerospace industry by choosing Boeing Co. to build its next generation of secret imaging satellites, bypassing Lockheed Martin Corp., the decades-long incumbent on the program in 1999. The new Future Imagery Architecture (FIA) of electro-optical and radar-imaging satellites was based on simplicity. But FIA has failed to escape the dysfunction plaguing most government satellite programs. As Director of National Intelligence John Negroponte embarks on his first review of technical programs, the system's price tag has grown from $6 billion to at least $15 billion.

The article reports that Lockheed Martin Corp.'s Skunk Works division is secretly developing a stealthy, long-endurance unmanned aircraft for penetrating deep inside hostile airspace to collect intelligence. The division is perceived as lagging rivals Boeing and Northrop Grumman Corp. in the unmanned aerial vehicle field. By early next year at the latest, the company is expected to announce that, with the U.S. Air Force's backing, it is building one or more demonstrators of what the Pentagon has newly designated as an unmanned aircraft system.

This article reports that Lockheed Martin Corp.'s plan to switch airframes for the U.S. Army's Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) program will increase the price of development by roughly $400 million, nearly 50%, prompting questions about the ACS' future. The swelling cost is prompting officials in the Pentagon to explore the impact of terminating the project and either recompeting the work or redistributing the requirements to other existing and planned platforms. Meanwhile,industry sources expect a delay of 1-2 years in the program's schedule, pushing the first deliveries of five aircraft to the Army as late as Fiscal 2012.

The article presents information on the U.S. Army's Light Utility Helicopter program. It is reported that Lockheed Martin and MD Helicopters signed a teaming arrangement that pits them against expected proposals from Bell and Eurocopter. The Lockheed Martin-led team will offer MD Helicopters' Explorer, a twin-engine aircraft using the no-tail-rotor anti-torque system, which officials from the companies say is a safety feature. The Army plans to buy 322 helicopters to ferry troops and cargo and support homeland security missions in U.S. territories.

The article reports that after auditors found evidence of favoritism in a 2001 competition, the U.S. Air Force is reversing its strategy and recompeting the second phase of the Small-Diameter Bomb (SDB) program. Lockheed Martin Corp., which lost the contract in 2003 to Boeing Co., says it is "evaluating" whether there is a "proper business case" to place a bid. Boeing estimates the initial SDB contract, worth $188 million, would eventually lead to more than $2.5 billion in worldwide sales, including a USAF order of more than 24,000 weapons. The conduct of the competition came into question after former top Air Force acquisition official Darleen Druyun received a prison sentence for improper job negotiations with Boeing while she was overseeing the company's Air Force programs.

This article reports that the U.S. Air Force officials are employing a different strategy on their $32-billion rocket program to divvy up the workload by allocating, instead of competing, a host of launches between Boeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. Along with the first buy, the government provided what was thought to be a one-time investment of $500 million to each contractor to pay for the development of next-generation launch systems. Brian Arnold, the Air Force's program executive officer for space at Space and Missile Systems Center in Los Angeles. Boeing's Delta IV last year flew a heavy-lift demonstration mission that revealed a problem in Boeing's fleet after the rocket's engine prematurely shut down.

The article reports that defense-spending cuts are compounded by threat of walkout by Lockheed Martin Corp. machinists. Lockheed Martin production of the F/A-22 and C-130J, as well as C-5 modifications, could survive a "matter of some weeks" without major disruption if employees go on strike March 8, 2005 as threatened, say company insiders. Parts and subassemblies in the supply line, as well as the efforts of salaried employees to keep production going, are expected to buy the company some time. Lockheed Martin officials have already communicated their strike-contingency plans to U.S. Air Force leadership.

The article reports that the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) are searching for options to enhance Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (Thaad) of aerospace firm Lockheed Martin. Topics discussed include growing concern of the U.S. and its allies regarding the advances in China's hypersonic glide vehicles; views of James Syring, Director of MDA, on growing threat; and the Thaad-ER as a solution from Lockheed Martin.

The article reports on a contract awarded by the U.S. Department of Defense to Lockheed Martin for the development of F-35 production lots. According to the article, the Pentagon has awarded 3.7 billion dollars for low-rate initial-production (LRIP) 6 of the total 4.4 billion dollar contract. Deliveries of LRIP 6 aircraft is expected to arrive in the second quarter of 2014.

The article considers the planned participation of U.S. aerospace and defense industries firms in the 2013 Paris Air Show in Paris, France. A trend is examined in which companies including Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Boeing Co. will either not participate, have fewer executive attend or exhibit fewer military airplanes than in previous years.

The article examines continues flight testing of the F-35 jet fighter plane by the aerospace industries firm Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Department of Defense. The failure of the testing program in 2012 to reach 80 percent of its scheduled objectives is discussed, particularly the need to introduce new tests to investigate problems including horizontal tail scorching and delamination and testing of equipment for naval aviation and short-vertical-takeoff-and-landing versions of the F-35.

The article presents a profile of U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Christopher Bogdan, focusing on his role as program executive officer for the Pentagon, or Department of Defense. The article discusses his efforts to negotiate contracts between the Pentagon and the aerospace company Lockheed Martin for the manufacture of F-35 fighter jets, and comments on how his negotiating style fits with the U.S. governments deficit reduction initiatives.

The article discusses U.S. defense contractors' international sales growth as of October 2012, with a focus on contractors' efforts to offset U.S. military budget cuts. Topics include the contractors represented at the Association of the U.S. Army conference, command-and-control systems manufactured by aerospace firm Lockheed Martin, and the Integrated Defense Systems produced by Raytheon.

The article reports the U.S. Army spent $900 million on tri-mode seeker technology for a Joint Air-to-Ground Missile project that might be delayed by budget cuts. Lockheed Martin company is developing an imaging infrared sensor (IR) for its dual-mode version of the seeker. Raytheon company is confident it can build the tri-mode seeker that includes an uncooled imaging IR sensor.

The article discusses the budget of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), which has funded research into ballistic-missile-defeating technologies and must begin to field proven systems in 2012. U.S. defense budget cuts, nuclear warhead technology programs in North Korea and Iran, and foreign stockpiles of missiles are discussed. Technology from defense company Lockheed Martin, MDA director Patrick O'Reilly, and MDA employee morale is discussed.

The article discusses the purchase of rockets by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) in 2012 from the company United Launch Alliance (ULA). ULA, a joint venture between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has a rocket monopoly, and U.S. lawmakers such as Representatives Mike Rogers and C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger are reported to want the USAF to combine launch contracts to save money. Satellite launch costs, rocket certification, and companies such as Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) are discussed.