LMC To Provide Aircraft By Fall 2010

The United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence has awarded a $5.1 million contract to Lockheed Martin for additional Desert Hawk III unmanned aircraft vehicles.

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Desert Hawk III's improved payloads maximize target detection and recognition by providing 360-degree -- daytime and nighttime -- coverage in a common turret package. These latest generation payloads also include a Lockheed Martin-developed navigation system that delivers more refined target position information and superior image stability to the troops.

Awarded by the MoD's Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S) organization, the latest contract calls for Lockheed Martin to deliver the Desert Hawk III air vehicles by fall 2010. As a result of ongoing obsolescence management and technology advancements in this area, the new aircraft are to feature enhanced 360-degree infrared and 360-degree, and 10-x zoom electro optics.

"The battle-proven Desert Hawk III can operate in high winds, extended altitude and extreme temperatures, making it very effective in areas such as Afghanistan," said Mark Swymeler, a vice president for Lockheed Martin's Ship and Aviation Systems line of business. "Unlike some other UAVs, it is extremely quiet and virtually undetectable beyond 150 meters."

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Equipped with steerable, plug-and-play imaging payloads, the Desert Hawk has provided the British Army with greater situational awareness capabilities in Afghanistan since 2006.

The eight-pound Desert Hawk III features an open architecture environment and consists of a light weight, hand-launched, ruggedized air vehicle with snap-on "Plug and Playloads", a portable ground station and a remote video terminal. The snap-on payload capability allows a single operator to swap sensors on the air vehicle in less than one minute to meet immediate and rapidly changing mission requirements.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com