"Aegis
Open Architecture will provide many advantages, including the
opportunity to more easily integrate indigenous systems into
the combat system and to reduce acquisition and certification
risks and costs," said Orlando Carvalho, vice president
and general manager of Lockheed Martin's Surface/Sea- Based
Missile Defense Systems business in Moorestown. "Aegis
Open Architecture is already driving commonality across the
United States' surface fleet, as we are directly leveraging
and reusing it in combat system development associated with
the Littoral Combat Ship and the Coast Guard's Deepwater programs."
The contract is the latest milestone for the AWD program.
Currently, the Australian government is in the process of selecting
the AWD ship design in support of final program approval. The
Aegis Weapon Systems Lockheed Martin will produce through this
contract will support equally both of the ship designs under
evaluation. Earlier this month, the U.S. Navy also contracted
Lockheed Martin to produce the MK 41 Vertical Launching System
(VLS) for the AWD in an identical manner, again supporting both
ship designs.
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