DENVER, 09-DEC-03 -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) a prime contract to manage the overall missile defense targets and countermeasures portfolio. The ten-year potential contract value is approximately $4.6 billion. The initial four-year contract value is about $200 million. These target systems will enable the U.S. to realistically, reliably and affordably test the full range of ballistic missile defense systems under development.

Working in partnership with the MDA customer under this prime contract, Lockheed Martin will support the continued development and fielding of an effective ballistic missile defense system. The Lockheed Martin team will be responsible for overseeing the design, development, procurement and testing of target systems that represent the evolving ballistic missile threats our nation faces.

Protecting deployed forces, civilian populations and our territory from ballistic missile attack is one of our nation's highest priorities, said G. Thomas Marsh, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Space Systems. We are honored that the Missile Defense Agency has chosen Lockheed Martin to lead this important program.

To support this critical initiative, Lockheed Martin assembled a world-class industry team, including Dynetics, Battelle, Space and Missile Defense Technologies, Booz Allen Hamilton, Honeywell, Teledyne Brown Engineering, ITT Industries, Millennium Space Systems, Toyon, Titan Corporation, INSYS, LLC and International Launch Services (a joint-venture between Lockheed Martin and Khrunichev). Other companies that currently provide relevant products will be invited to compete for future target product work on a best-value basis.

In addition, Lockheed Martin has established a program office in Crystal City, Va., adjacent to the MDA customer. The corporation has also established offices near customer locations in Huntsville, Ala., and Albuquerque, N.M. It is anticipated that the Targets and Countermeasures program will initially support as many as 250 jobs at locations in Virginia, Alabama, Colorado, California and New Mexico.