Lockheed Martin Skunk Works

Lockheed Martin Solar Ultraviolet Imager Installed on GOES-R Weather Satellite

has delivered a new solar analysis payload that will help scientists measure and forecast space weather, which can damage satellites, electrical grids and communications systems on Earth. The Solar Ultraviolet Imager (SUVI) instrument was integrated with the first flight vehicle of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) next-generation Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, known as GOES-R.

The GOES-R Series spacecraft are designed and built by Lockheed Martin in Denver, Colo.
“It is enormously satisfying to see the first GOES-R satellite and its instruments coming together, and it is great to see SUVI in flight configuration on the satellite’s Sun-Pointing Platform,” said Jeff Vanden Beukel, Lockheed Martin SUVI program director at the Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, where the instrument was built. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with NASA and NOAA to produce state-of-the-art scientific instruments that increase safety and improve quality of life."

SUVI will provide the required solar observational capabilities that enable NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colo., to monitor solar activity and to issue accurate, real-time alerts when space weather could affect the performance and reliability of technological systems in space or on the ground through the enhanced detection of coronal holes, solar flares and coronal mass ejections, as well as improved geomagnetic storm and power blackout forecasts.
Space weather can disrupt satellite operations, communications, navigation, and the distribution of electricity through power grids. Timely forecasts of severe space weather events would help satellite operators and electrical grid technicians mitigate potential damage to such systems.

Lockheed Martin is under contract to build the first four next-generation GOES satellites (R, S, T, and U). Four of the six instruments for the GOES-R satellite have been delivered to the Denver facility and are being integrated with the spacecraft. Once the instrument complement is completely integrated, a full suite of environmental tests will be conducted. Launch of the GOES-R satellite is scheduled for the first quarter of 2016.


http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2014/april/0417-ss-suvi.html

Lockheed Martin delivers MH-60R electronic warfare support system (EWSS) to Royal Australian Navy

Lockheed Martin Australia has confirmed delivery of its MH-60R electronic warfare support system (EWSS) to the Royal Australian Navy.

Built in its Adelaide facility, the EWSS will provide the Navy with the ability to generate and test unique Australian mission data loads for the 24 aircraft MH-60R Romeo naval combat helicopter fleet. Lockheed Martin Australia has worked with in-country companies to procure the component parts, fabricate cabling and assemble the EWSS.

Australian suppliers were issued subcontracts for a portion of the metal fabrication. Work on the project began in 2012 and has now ended in April 2014, with system demonstration and training at the Joint Electronic Warfare Operational Support Unit in Adelaide, South Australia.


http://australiandefence.com.au/news/lockheed-martin-delivers-mh-60r-ewss-to-ran

Lockheed Martin GMLRS Alternative Warhead Logs Successful Flight-Test Series, Shifts To Next Testing Phase

Lockheed Martin successfully conducted the fifth and final Production Qualification Test (PQT) for the new Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) Alternative Warhead recently at White Sands Missile Range, N.M.  During the long-range test, four rockets were fired from a HIMARS launcher and destroyed their respective targets approximately 65 kilometers away. The test is the final milestone before the Developmental Test/Operational Test (DT/OT) phase, which incorporates soldiers into the system testing. The DT/OT phase will begin this summer and will conclude with the Initial Operational Test & Evaluation (IOT&E) exercise in the fall of 2014.  

“This next phase of testing will be critical in determining operational effectiveness,” said Ken Musculus, vice president of Tactical Missiles for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control.  “We are committed to the customer and their success on the battlefield, and these tests ensure production of a trustworthy and effective solution.”

In April 2012, Lockheed Martin received a $79.4 million contract from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop the Alternative Warhead Program (AWP). Under the terms of the contract, the Engineering, Manufacturing and Development (EMD) phase of the program runs 36 months, focusing on system performance, warhead qualification and producibility.

The Alternative Warhead is designed to engage the same target set and achieve the same area-effects requirement as the GMLRS submunitions warhead, but without the lingering danger of unexploded ordinance. The Alternative Warhead is being developed by ATK under subcontract to Lockheed Martin.

The AWP is part of a U.S. Department of Defense plan to create a GMLRS variant which meets the DoD’s cluster munition policy. The Lockheed Martin GMLRS Alternative Warhead program will also be compliant with the provisions of the Convention on Cluster Munitions international treaty.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2014/april/mfc-041614-lm-gmlrs-alternative-warhead-logs-successful.html

F-35 Fleet Surpasses 15,000 Flying Hours - Lockheed Martin

Press release by company on its website - 15 April 2014:

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2014/april/140415ae_f-35-fleet-surpasses-15000-hours.html




The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fleet recently surpassed 15,000 flight hours, marking a major milestone for the program.

“Flying 15,000 hours itself demonstrates that the program is maturing, but what I think is even more impressive is the fact that operational F-35s accounted for more than half of those flight hours,” said J.D. McFarlan, Lockheed Martin's vice president for F-35 Test & Verification. “While the fleet continues to train, we are actively flight testing the software and mission systems that will enable the Marine Corps to declare Initial Operational Capability (IOC) next year as planned.”

As of April 7, operational F-35s had flown 8,050 hours while System Development and Demonstration aircraft had accumulated 7,123 flight hours. In 2014, F-35A test aircraft have flown 328 hours; F-35B test aircraft have accumulated 191 hours; and F-35C test aircraft have flown 91 hours. In comparison, operational F-35As have flown 963 hours, while their F-35B and F-35C counterparts have accumulated 1,012 and 98 hours respectively for the year.

“Following successful AIM-120 AMRAAM Weapons Delivery Accuracy (WDA) tests in February and March, we're looking forward to executing additional WDAs in the 2nd quarter,” said McFarlan. “In another clear sign of program maturation, reliability metrics are trending upward as the operations tempo picks up – recently 60 F-35 sorties were flown in one day.”
The U.S. Marine Corps plans to declare IOC in 2015, while the U.S. Air Force and Navy intend to declare IOC in 2016 and 2018, respectively.

The F-35 Lightning II, a 5th generation fighter, combines advanced low observable stealth technology with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least 10 other countries.

Documentary about Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

A scene never to be repeated again: a sky filled with black stealth fighter jets

The Lockheed F-117A, world’s first operational stealth aircraft and one of the most secret planes ever developed, only flew after darkness until its existence was publicly acknowledged in 1988.

Then, the veil of secrecy on the “Nighthawk” was gradually lifted and the stealth fighter jet (actually, an attack plane) regularly flew in daylight and later began taking part to airshows.

Although it’s not clear who took it (it must be an Air Force image) and where it was taken, the photo in this post is quite impressive: 59 production aircraft (one of those was lost to the Serbian Air Defense during “Operation Allied Force“) served with the U.S. Air Force until the type was retired in 2008 and slightly about half of them can be seen flying together in the image.

Image credit: via Tom Demerly Pinterest/zonamilitar.com.ar

On Oct. 27, 2006, twenty-five Lockheed F-117A stealth jets flew over Heritage Park at Holloman Air Force Base during the Silver Stealth event for the F-117′s 25th anniversary.

59 production  “Nighthawk” aircraft (one of those was lost to the Serbian Air Defense during “Operation Allied Force“) served with the U.S. Air Force until the type was retired in 2008: about half of them can be seen flying together in the image taken by Denny Lombard and released by LM’s Code One magazine.

For another impressive air-to-air image of the 25 stealth jets taken during the same event, have a look here.

By the way, isn’t that ironic that 25 aircraft filling the sky would still not appear on radar?

Image credit: Denny Lombard via Lockheed Martin.