Lockheed Team Receives A-10 Pact

A Lockheed Martin-led team received a $40.4 million contract modification to complete technological upgrades on the A-10 aircraft. The team, which includes Northrop Grumman of St. Augustine, Fla.; BAE Systems of Johnson City, N.Y.; and Southwest Research Institute of San Antonio, will complete the A-10C Precision Engagement program's engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase. “The Precision Engagement program provides the A-10C with new and improved combat capabilities, transforming the legacy A/OA-10 aircraft from an analog aircraft to the enhanced digital A-10C configuration," said Roger Il Grande, A-10 program director at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, N.Y. Precision Engagement enables the A-10C to use new precision-guided weapons such as the Joint Direct Attack Munitions and Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser. Lockheed Martin said the upgrades also provide the jet with improved situational awareness, enhanced target identification and designation, improved Stores Management, adds two new Multifunction Color Displays and fully integrates a targeting pod. Work will continue through May 2008 to conclude development of the Precision Engagement software suite and to support flight testing conducted by U.S. Air Force.