WASHINGTON, April 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Navy
has issued a Lockheed Martin-led industry team a contract
modification for one fully funded 2015 Littoral Combat Ship (LCS)
valued at $362 million, along with
$79 million in advanced procurement
funding for a second ship. The balance of the second ship will be
funded by Dec. 31, 2015.
The advanced procurement dollars approved by Congress provides
the funding required to maintain the cost and schedule of the final
block buy option. The award also includes a priced option for one
additional fiscal year 2016 ship.
"We are proud to continue this partnership with the Navy in
building the advanced Freedom-variant littoral combat ship,
and we thank the Navy for maintaining the cost and schedule for the
block buy," said Joe North, vice
president of Littoral Ship Systems at Lockheed Martin Mission
Systems and Training. "Thousands of people across the country
contribute to this important program and will continue to do so as
we transition to the new frigate upgrade in the coming years."
The award comes as USS Freedom conducted a successful deployment
to Southeast Asia in 2013 and is
currently operating out of her homeport in San Diego, California, while USS Fort Worth is
deployed until 2016. The USS Fort Worth is serving in the U.S. 7th
Fleet to strengthen international relationships, visit more ports,
engage in multi-regional naval exercises and further LCS
capabilities using both manned and unmanned assets.
The contract modification is for construction of LCS 21 and LCS
23, the 11th and 12th Freedom variant ships. The first ship on this
2010 contract, the Milwaukee (LCS
5), was christened and launched in 2013, and is slated to be
delivered to the Navy this summer. Detroit (LCS 7) was launched in 2014.
Little Rock (LCS 9) and
Sioux City (LCS 11) are in
construction, with LCS 9 christening and launch planned for this
summer. Wichita (LCS 13) had its
keel laid in February 2015. Billings
(LCS 15), as well as Indianapolis
(LCS 17) and to be named LCS 19 are in the construction phase.
Marinette Marine Corporation, a Fincantieri company, is building
the ships in Marinette, Wisconsin,
with naval architect Gibbs & Cox of Arlington, Virginia, providing engineering
support. Fincantieri has invested more than $100 million in the Marinette facility on
upgrades that have increased efficiency and minimized energy
consumption, an expansion that will allow for construction of more
than two ships at a time, and process improvements that will speed
up production.
Nearly 900 suppliers across 43 states are contributing to the
Freedom-class LCS program.
About Lockheed Martin:
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a
global security and aerospace company that employs approximately
112,000 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 2014 were $45.6 billion.
About Marinette Marine
Founded in 1942, Marinette Marine Corporation (MMC) is located on
the Menominee River flowage into Green
Bay. The largest shipyard in Wisconsin and the Midwest, MMC has delivered
more than 1,300 vessels for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and
commercial customers, including the technologically advanced
Littoral Combat Ship Freedom class for the U.S. Navy. In 2008, MMC
along with several sister shipyards also based in the Great Lakes
region, became part of FINCANTIERI SpA, the largest shipbuilder in
the western Hemisphere and the fourth largest in the world.
FINCANTIERI operates in the United
States through its subsidiary Fincantieri Marine Group,
serving both civilian and government customers. Over the past five
years, FINCANTIERI invested more than $100
million in both capital infrastructure and its resources to
support MMC's transformation into what is now one of the best
shipyards in the United States.
Employing approximately 1,400 employees, today MMC is a
state-of-the-art, full service new construction shipyard.
About Gibbs & Cox:
Gibbs & Cox, the nation's
leading independent maritime solutions firm specializing in naval
architecture, marine engineering and design, is headquartered in
Arlington, Virginia. The company,
founded in 1929, has provided designs for nearly 80 percent of the
current U.S. Navy surface combatant fleet; approaching 7,000 naval
and commercial ships have been built to Gibbs & Cox
designs.
For additional information about Lockheed
Martin, visit: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/mst.html and
http://www.lmlcsteam.com
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin