SUNNYVALE, CA, 02-OCT-01 -- The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Defense Acquisition Executive today presented a Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) TRIDENT Open System Architecture Team with an award for outstanding achievement in acquisition reform. Each year, the Defense Acquisition Executive (DAE) presents a Certificate of Achievement to individuals, groups, and teams such as Integrated Product Teams (IPT), Process Action Teams, Working level IPTs and Overarching IPTs, that have made exceptional contributions to improving life cycle costs and/or the Department's acquisition system through innovative acquisition management techniques. The TRIDENT Open System Architecture Team was presented with the award as part of the DOD's Acquisition and Logistics Reform Week 2001.

Lockheed Martin is proud to support the government's acquisition reform efforts and we are honored to be part of this important recognition, said Tom Morton, vice president, strategic missile programs for Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Missiles & Space Operations. The TRIDENT Open System Architecture Team demonstrated a remarkable ability to draw upon a wide range of commercial technologies which ultimately reduced total ownership costs for the government. Congratulations to the entire team on a job well done!

In 1995, the Navy FBM system program manager, Strategic Systems Programs (SSP), faced several critical challenges for the deployed TRIDENT II (D5) Strategic Weapon System (SWS) including affordability and viability issues such as rising operation & maintenance costs, technology obsolescence, legacy parts availability and extended system life requirements. These challenges threatened the acquisition command's ability to adequately support the shipboard SWS over its 44-year operating life, particularly with the high reliability and stringent nuclear safety requirements placed on this strategic deterrent system.

At the time, the SWS had six subsystems, each consisting of contractor-developed custom printed wiring assemblies, software and Navy Standard Electronic Modules (SEMs). To reduce life-cycle costs, SSP formed an Overarching Integrated Product Team (OIPT) comprised of Lockheed Martin, government and other industry partners, to begin transforming the legacy SWS from its unique mil-spec design, to a Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) based open system architecture design.

The Team used proven integrated product and process development techniques and leveraged private sector COTS development to successfully reengineer the shipboard portion of the SWS. The new open system architecture enables regular system architecture enhancements with the insertion of new commercial technology without requiring another major system redesign. This successful effort allowed the Navy to avoid the enormous costs to operate & maintain obsolete and unique legacy equipment without impact to system performance or nuclear safety.

Over a five year period, the TRIDENT Open Systems Architecture Team increased Commercial-Off-The-Shelf products as a percent of parts to 60%, attained a 75% parts count reduction, a 50% development cycle time reduction, and a cost avoidance of $1.2 billion, said Paul Schneider, former acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Research, Development and Acquisition. Their significant contributions in best acquisition practices, innovation, and exceptional reduction in life cycle costs have enhanced the continuing improvement of acquisition reform within the Department of the Navy.

The first of these new Open Systems is currently being installed aboard the USS ALASKA (SSBN 732) as she undergoes overhaul and conversion to TRIDENT II capability at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. The other 13 TRIDENT II SSBNs will also be outfitted with the redesigned system when they are overhauled, and eventually, the entire 14 ship TRIDENT II D5 strategic submarine force will be outfitted with the new system.

Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Missiles & Space Operations and Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems-Undersea Systems, Mitchel Field, NJ were both members of the team, as well as Navy SSP. Other members include Space & Warfare (SPAWAR) System Center San Diego, General Dynamics Defense Systems (GDDS), Naval Sea System Command (NAVSEA), Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA), Boeing North American, Dynamics Research Corp., EG&G, Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane, Naval Surface Warfare Center-Dalhgren Division.

The Navy selected Lockheed Martin Space Systems operations in Sunnyvale, Calif. as its prime missile contractor and missile system manager in 1955. Since then, the Lockheed Martin team has designed, developed, produced and supported six successive generations of FBM- POLARIS (A1), POLARIS (A2), POLARIS (A3), POSEIDON (C3), TRIDENT I (C4) and TRIDENT II (D5).

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, headquartered in Denver, Colo., is one of the major operating units of the world's largest defense contractor, Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT). Space Systems is a global leader in the design, development, test and production of space launch systems, ground systems, scientific spacecraft, satellites for commercial and government customers, fleet ballistic missiles and missile defense systems.