U.S. NAVY
(Defenselink -- 30 June 2006) Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors, Moorestown, N.J., is being awarded an $85,354,328 fixed-price letter contract for long-lead material items and critical work center efforts to support the production of three Aegis Weapon Systems (AWS) for the Commonwealth of Australia (COA) Air Warfare Destroyer (AWD) Shipbuilding Program. These long-lead items will be used by Lockheed Martin to manufacture three AWS ship-sets for Australia's AWD shipbuilding project. The AWS comprises of the core command and control system, phased array radar and missile launch system capability. The Aegis system is the world's pre-eminent maritime air warfare system capable of detecting and defeating multiple hostile aircraft and missiles. Award of this contract will eliminate the risk and increased costs associated with a break in production and minimize the risk of delay in the 2013 delivery date for the first Air Warfare Destroyer. This award is for Australia (100 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. $64,575,000 will be obligated at time of award. Work will be performed in Moorestown, N.J., and is expected to be completed by March 2012. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-06-C-5120).