ORLANDO, FL, 07-NOV-05 --

Nearly 400 representatives from 92 of Lockheed Martin’s [NYSE: LMT] suppliers came from 28 states and four countries – Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Turkey – to attend a one-day tactical missiles suppliers’ conference November 3 in Orlando, FL.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control recognized its suppliers for their achievements in quality assurance by presenting Platinum, Gold, and Silver awards for 100 percent, 99 percent and 98 percent quality ratings, respectively. Nine awards were presented.

Recipients were Matrix Composites, Inc., Rockledge, FL; Tri Models, Huntington Beach, CA; Esco Turbine Technologies - Syracuse, Inc., Chittanango, NY; Moog Aircraft, Salt Lake City, UT; Hisonic, Inc., Olath, KS; Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense, Simsbury, CT; Spincraft - A Division of Standex International, New Berlin, WI; Express Engineering, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear, UK; and Kalekalip Makina ve Kalin Sanyii A.S., Istanbul, Turkey.

In addition to the Platinum, Gold, and Silver presentations, 11 other recognition awards were presented.

One of several government and military officials at the event, U.S. Army Lt. Col. A. J. Legg, Commander, 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery Regiment, which uses Lockheed Martin’s Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), gave several instances of missile’s accuracy. Citing one example, he said, “When the GMLRS [Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System] was used in Tal Afar, damage to surrounding buildings was almost nonexistent, and the target’s destruction was absolute.”

Lt. Col. Mike Cantor addressed the Lockheed Martin suppliers directly, saying, “Whenever you’re faced with a nonconformance issue, think: Our product must work for the soldier. We owe it to them that what we deliver works every time. What you do affects the warfighter every day.”

The theme of the conference was We never forget who we’re working for™, Lockheed Martin’s company motto.

“This is an especially appropriate theme when one considers that the lives of thousands of our country’s warfighters depend on how well our products perform,” said Joe Myers, vice president for Materials Acquisition and Management at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “It’s a responsibility we share with our suppliers, and one we all take very seriously. We had a young man come to our plant a few months ago, fresh from the Gulf region, to thank us for saving his life. That’s why this conference is so important. Together, we do it right—with zero defects—and we save lives.”

The conference included briefings from Lockheed Martin senior executives and from the directors of nine tactical missiles programs for which the suppliers provide hardware and software products.

The programs included Air-to-Ground Missile System, Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, Army Tactical Missile System, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, Compact Kinetic Energy Missile, Joint Common Missile, Javelin, Multifunction Utility/Logistics and Equipment Vehicle, and the Advanced Gun System/Long-Range Land Attack Projectile.