BALTIMORE, MD, February 4th, 2002 -- Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics and Surveillance Systems (NE&SS) - Marine Systems has earned the Software Engineering Institute's (SEI) Capability Maturity Model Level 4 assessment. The assessment follows a comprehensive review of the NE&SS-Marine Systems software engineering processes. With this assessment, Lockheed Martin Corporation's Systems Integration business area, of which Marine Systems is part, now has five organizations assessed at SEI Level 5 and five at Level 4. This represents more high-maturity assessments than any other corporation and points to Lockheed Martin's leadership in quality software for complex applications.

The Software Engineering Institute, based at Carnegie Mellon University, has defined the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) to help organizations assess and improve their software engineering and project management practices. Comprised of a staff with extensive technical and managerial experience from government, industry and academia, the SEI is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The SEI was established by DoD to advance the practice of software engineering since quality software that is produced on schedule and within budget is a critical component of U.S. defense systems.

The CMM assessment levels, developed by SEI, have become an industry standard for evaluating the capability of an organization to develop software intensive systems. The SEI has established five levels of process maturity to characterize an organization's software processes capability-Level 5 indicating the highest. These levels serve as standards which are used by government and industry to promote continuous improvement in an organization's software development ability.

"The results of this most recent assessment are proof positive that NE&SS-Marine Systems continues to strengthen and enhance core software competencies which will better position us for continued growth and development in our missile launcher and ships systems businesses," said Dale Bennett, Vice President and General Manager, NE&SS-Marine Systems.

Larry Hetzel, NE&SS-Marine Systems engineering director, added: "The Level 4 assessment is an important milestone for our business and is an affirmation of our commitment to continuously improve our software processes and to provide our customers with world class software solutions."

Specializing in the MK41 Vertical Launching System (VLS), systems integration and advanced hull form technologies, NE&SS - Marine Systems is a unit of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global enterprise principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced-technology systems, products and services. The company's core businesses are systems integration, space, aeronautics and technology services.

NE&SS - Marine Systems, Tom Greer, 410-682-1140