U.S. Army awards Lockheed Martin nearly $1.6B radar contract, “largest” in local plant’s history

SALINA, N.Y. — The U.S. Army has awarded the Salina plant of Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE: LMT) a nearly $1.6 billion contract for the AN/TP-Q-53 radar system, or, Q-53.

The Bethesda, Maryland–based defense contractor confirmed in a statement emailed to BJNN that the award represents the “largest contract in Lockheed Martin Syracuse history.”

The contract is for “full-rate production and deployment,” the U.S. Army said in announcing the contract on the website of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). 

The Army also noted in its announcement that “bids were solicited via the internet with one received.”

The Q-53 radar system is officially known as counter fire target acquisition radar system.

“The combat-proven Q-53 radar system helps troops know what is going on around them in an increasingly complicated world,” Rick Herodes, director of Lockheed Martin’s Q-53 radar program, said in the company’s statement. “Our hardworking engineers and manufacturing teams are honored to have the opportunity to continue to provide these reliable systems to the warfighter.”

The contract has an estimated completion date of March 29, 2022, the U.S. Army said. 

The Salina location in January announced it had produced the 100th AN/TPQ-53 radar system under its contract for the equipment.

Lockheed Martin also noted in its statement that the Salina location still has 50 job openings it wishes to fill, but they “are not directly tied to the Q-53 contract award.”

Navy contract awards

The U.S. Navy has also awarded Lockheed Martin’s Salina plant two contracts totaling more than $114 million.

Both are modifications to a previously awarded contract. The Navy announced both contracts on the DOD website.

The contract announced Wednesday exercises “options for full-rate production” in the surface electronic warfare improvement program (SEWIP) for U.S. aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers and other warships.

The Navy expects workers at the defense contractor to complete work on the modification contract by August 2019.

It had earlier in the month on March 17 announced a more than $98 million modification to the same contract for “full-rate production” on SEWIP block 2 subsystems.

The Navy expects Lockheed Martin workers to complete that work by July 2019, according to the DOD website.

Employees at the Salina location will handle nearly a quarter of the work involved in both contract options. At the same time, workers in Frankfort in Herkimer County and in Hauppauge on Long Island; along with those in Lansdale, Pennsylvania; Chelmsford, Massachusetts; Hamilton, New Jersey; Brockton, Massachusetts; West Yorkshire, United Kingdom; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Huntsville, Alabama, and Lancaster, Pennsylvania will assist the effort, according to the DOD website.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com

PHOTO CAPTION: The Salina location of Lockheed Martin Corp. has secured a nearly $1.6 billion U.S. Army contract for the Q-53 radar system, the “largest” contract award in the local plant’s history, the company said. The U.S. Navy also announced two additional contracts for the Bethesda, Maryland–based defense contractor earlier in the month as well. (Eric Reinhardt / BJNN file photo)