MOORESTOWN, NJ, 07-OCT-04 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has demonstrated to an independently-led appraisal team that the company answered its customers' challenge to industry to be fully committed to process improvement for products and services throughout the design, development, and production life cycle phases.

Lockheed Martin demonstrated maturity level 3 compliance to the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) for Systems Engineering and Software Engineering (CMMI-SE/SW) Version 1.1. Business and functional support areas appraised included engineering development, measurement, risk management and supplier management for U.S. and international naval production and development programs.

“Our business processes are the essential tools we use to build systems that continue to prove themselves in combat,” said Carl Bannar, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors. “Clear, concise and effective processes aid us every day as we support our customers’ work to secure our ocean borders and ports.”

This assessment was accomplished using the Standard CMMI Appraisal Method for Process Improvement (SCAMPISM), Version 1.1, a method designed to provide benchmark quality ratings relative to CMMI models. The Moorestown SCAMPISM, conducted from June 7-18, 2004, covered the Aegis Baseline 7 cruiser conversion program; Aegis Baseline J5 Japanese destroyer program; the DD(X) next-generation destroyer program; and S-band advanced radar program. These four programs employ a significant portion of Moorestown’s engineering personnel and provide a representative sample of all Moorestown’s business areas.

“For more than 50 years, our engineers and manufacturers have driven the performance that delivers unmatched quality to our customers, including the Coast Guard and navies both at home and abroad,” Bannar said. “These appraisals are the business enablers that allow us to go after and win new business. They make our business better because we believe in them and apply them every day.”

Capability Maturity Model and CMMI are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by Carnegie Mellon University. SM SCAMPI is a service mark of Carnegie Mellon University.