The U.S. Navy have awarded Lockheed Martin a contract for the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapons Concept, which will demonstrate the dlivery of the MK54 lightweight torpedo from a P-3C Orion (above) operating at or above 20,000 feet.

ORLANDO, FL, June 13, 2006

The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a 12-month, $3
million contract for its High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapons Concept
(HAAWC). The program will demonstrate delivery of the MK-54
lightweight torpedo from a P-3C aircraft operating at high altitudes
(approximately 20,000) feet.

Lockheed Martin's HAAWC concept employs the Lockheed Martin LongShot(R)
Wing Adapter Kit to allow the launch of torpedoes from high altitudes
and long standoff ranges. This technology enables P-3C aircrews to
launch from outside the range of enemy air defenses.

"This is a significant operational enhancement over the P-3C's current
method of launching MK-54s from close to the surface against submarine
targets," said Alan Jackson, director of the HAAWC program at Lockheed
Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "Currently, P-3s must descend to a
low altitude to deliver the MK54. The HAAWC concept improves the
delivery accuracy and shortens the engagement time of the MK54 torpedo. This
new capability will also increase the survivability of both of the
aircrew and the aircraft by providing safe standoff. The standoff
capability could potentially opens up the possibility for future of using MK-54s
against surface targets by allowing the aircraft to launch from outside
the range of a ship's air defenses."

In addition, HAAWC reduces stress on the P-3 aircraft by allowing it to
stay at altitude to launch HAAWC-equipped torpedoes. This will assist
in reducing fatigue on those aircraft currently in U.S. Navy service as
well as future Navy aircraft.

The demonstration will include a high-altitude launch, where the
HAAWC-equipped torpedo will glide to its normal launch altitude close to the
surface, and then jettison the LongShot wings prior to water entry.
From that point, the torpedo follows its normal operational procedures as
it would in a launch from a P-3 from low altitude. A Successful
demonstration of this technology will assist the Navy in furthering the
development of a high altitude launch for lightweight torpedoes.

The LongShot is a low-cost, self-contained wing adaptor kit that
provides range extension and autonomous guidance to a family of existing
air-to-surface munitions, including sea mines, gravity bombs, laser-guided
bombs and tactical munitions dispensers. No aircraft modification is
required to deploy a LongShot equipped munition. The system is
completely self-contained, including a flight control computer, a GPS-based
navigation system and power sources and does not require an electrical
interface with the aircraft.

Photo: Lockheed Martin
Source: Lockheed~ Martin Press Release