Lockheed Martin nabs $3.9B THAAD program for U.S., UAE

DALLAS—Lockheed Martin received a production contract totaling $3.9 billion to produce elements of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapons System for the Missile Defense Agency and the United Arab Emirates.

The contract includes the manufacture and delivery of up to 110 interceptors for the U.S. Army, including the fiscal 2014 option. These Lot 4, 5 and 6 interceptors will be fielded to the U.S. Army at Ft. Bliss, Texas. The contract also includes interceptors and other ground hardware for the UAE.

THAAD interceptors are produced at Lockheed Martin’s Pike County facility in Troy, Ala. The launchers and fire control units are produced at the company’s Camden, Ark., facility.

Lockheed Martin is currently under contract for five THAAD batteries for the U.S. Army. Deliveries on Batteries 3 and 4 are underway, with final completion expected in December 2013. Battery 5 was awarded in late 2012.

A key element of the nation’s Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), THAAD is a Missile Defense Agency program, with the program office located in Huntsville, Ala. The agency is developing the BMDS to defend the United States, its deployed forces, friends and allies against ballistic missiles of all ranges and in all phases of flight.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 116,000 people worldwide and is conducts research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. Its net sales for 2012 were $47.2 billion.