Keeping the Fleet Ready: New Contract Extends Lockheed Martin’s Aegis Training to 2031

Since the Aegis program began, Lockheed Martin has supplied operator and maintenance training to every nation that fields the system, establishing the gold standard for maritime combat system instruction.

For over 30 years, Aegis international partners have received a comprehensive training portfolio, including:

• Product development – Custom operator stations, hardware-in-the-loop simulators, and maintenance training devices that replicate the exact Aegis configuration used in the fleet.

• Curriculum evolution – Courses are updated in lockstep with software and hardware upgrades, ensuring personnel are qualified on the newest capabilities as soon as they are fielded.

• Instruction delivery – Classroom instruction at Lockheed Martin’s Naval Education Centers in New Jersey and Virginia, plus onsite waterfront training at customer locations, allowing hands-on practice with shipboard equipment and real-time mentorship.

As the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) for Aegis, Lockheed Martin creates a seamless transition from system acquisition to crew proficiency. Training hardware and software are built from the same source code and data models used in operational ships, reducing the learning curve and minimizing integration risk.

“Fleet readiness is at the heart of what we do,” said Bryan Zonies, maritime training portfolio manager. “As the software for Aegis is being developed, the training is developed in parallel so we can get capabilities to the fleets as fast as possible."

Aegis training continues now and for years to come, bringing unmatched training capability and readiness to fleets, to include:

• Continuous capability refresh – As the Aegis Weapon System adds new functions – such as Integrated Air and Missile Defense, Enterprise Network Integration, and AI-assisted threat evaluation – the training fleet receives concurrent software and hardware updates, guaranteeing that operators never lag behind operational ships.

• Tailored customer solutions – Each of the six Aegis international navies  receive a training plan that reflects its unique fleet composition, mission set, and regional threat profile, from basic surface-to-air engagement to advanced ballistic missile defense.

• Longterm partnership – The 2031 contract horizon provides stability for both Lockheed Martin and its customers, enabling multiyear curriculum roadmaps, joint exercises, and shared lessons learned that keep allied navies ready for emerging challenges. 

This contract award secures a strong bridge between Aegis hardware advances and the human expertise required to operate them, ensuring fleets remain combat ready, interoperable, and safe in an increasingly contested maritime domain.