ORLANDO, FL, May 27th, 1998 -- A British-U.S. aerospace team today delivered the first night vision system for the British Army's new WAH-64 Westland Apache two months ahead of its contractual deadline.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Florida; Avimo Ltd., Taunton, England; British Aerospace Defense Systems Ltd., Christchurch, England; and Pilkington Optronics, Glasgow, Scotland presented the first of 71 TADS/PNVS night navigation and targeting systems to prime contractor, GKN Westland Helicopters Limited in a ceremony at Lockheed Martin's Falcon Field facility, Mesa Az.

TADS/PNVS (Target Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor), developed by Lockheed Martin, also serves as the "night eyes" of the U.S. Apache and Apache Longbow attack helicopters.

The WAH-64 TADS/PNVS system consists of 26 Line Replaceable Units (LRU's), 19 of which were manufactured and tested by three UK companies for final assembly in Orlando. "This early delivery verifies the team?s conviction that multinational enterprises can be every bit as streamlined and efficient as national ones," said Bob Costello, Lockheed Martin?s program manager.

The delivery follows close on the heels of another milestone event May 6, when the initial Westland Apache TADS/PNVS LRUs built in the UK breezed through formal "First Article Testing." It marked the first time in the program's 23-year history that a TADS/PNVS system successfully completed production with LRU's built by a supplier other than Lockheed Martin Electronics & Missiles.

The Westland Apache was chosen as the future attack helicopter for the British Army in July 1996. Led by GKN Westland Helicopters Limited, Yeovil, England, the Westland Apache Team includes more than 170 companies in the United Kingdom plus Boeing Helicopter, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman of the U.S.

With company headquarters located in Orlando, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is a world leader in electro-optics, smart munitions, anti armor and air defense systems. The company is an operating element of Lockheed Martin Electronics Sector, based in Bethesda, Maryland.