Beats Out Boeing, Raytheon For Huge Missile Contract

Lockheed-Martin is the winner in competition to build the Joint Common missile, designed to give the various military branches a single air-to-ground attack platform.

"It's easy to see how this will become the weapon of choice when it is deployed," said Richard Edwards, chief of Lockheed's Tactical Missiles Unit. He was interviewed by the Washington Post.

The initial $53 million contract to come up with replacements for the Hellfire, Longbow and Maverick missiles. The replacement would be used by all branches of the military. Initially, it will be deployed on F/A-18s and Apache and Cobra helicopters. However, it could eventually be hung on F/A-22s and other aircraft.

"This missile also should garner considerable interest from international customers," said a research note written by Joseph B. Nadol, aerospace and defense analyst for J.P. Morgan. The note was also quoted in the Post.

Perhaps the best news, as far as Lockheed-Martin is concerned, is that the missile will be developed by the company's Orlando (FL) facility. That same facility was hit hard by the Army's decision to cancel the Comanche helicopter project.

The new contract goes "part of the way to mitigating the Comanche loss, but I don't expect any immediate hiring for this," Edwards said.

FMI: www.lockheedmartin.com