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October 9, 10:33 EDT
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Oct. 2, 2001 -- A Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) Trident Open System Architecture Team, led by Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co., Missiles & Space Operations, was recently recognized for increasing the use of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment and for reducing development time in the Trident Strategic Weapons System.
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), Defense Acquisition Executive awarded the team with an award for outstanding achievement in acquisition reform as part of the DOD's Acquisition and Logistics Reform Week 2001. Each year, the Defense Acquisition Executive (DAE) presents a certificate of achievement to individuals, groups, and teams such as integrated product teams (IPT), process action teams, working level IPTs, and overarching IPTs, that have made exceptional contributions to improving life cycle costs and/or the Department's acquisition system through innovative acquisition management techniques, Lockheed Martin officials say.
"The Trident Open System Architecture Team demonstrated a remarkable ability to draw upon a wide range of commercial technologies which ultimately reduced total ownership costs for the government," says Tom Morton, vice president of strategic missile programs for Lockheed Martin.
"Over a five year period, the Trident Open Systems Architecture Team increased commercial-off-the-shelf products as a percent of parts to 60 percent, attained a 75 percent parts count reduction, a 50 percent development cycle time reduction, and a cost avoidance of $1.2 billion", says Paul Schneider, former acting Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition. "Their significant contributions in best acquisition practices, innovation, and exceptional reduction in life cycle costs have enhanced the continuing improvement of acquisition reform within the Department of the Navy."
In 1995, when the Trident Open architecture team began its task, the Navy FBM system program manager, Strategic Systems Programs (SSP), faced several critical challenges for the deployed Trident II (D5) Strategic Weapon System (SWS) including affordability and viability issues such as rising operation and maintenance costs, technology obsolescence, legacy parts availability, and extended system life requirements, Lockheed Martin officials say. These challenges threatened the acquisition command's ability to adequately support the shipboard SWS over its 44-year operating life, particularly with the high reliability and stringent nuclear safety requirements placed on this strategic deterrent system.
At the time, the SWS had six subsystems, each consisting of contractor-developed custom printed wiring assemblies, software, and Navy Standard Electronic Modules. To reduce life-cycle costs, SSP formed
an overarching integrated product team (OIPT) comprised of Lockheed Martin, government, and other industry partners, to begin transforming the legacy SWS from its unique mil-spec design, to a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) based open system architecture design, Lockheed Martin officials say.
The team used proven integrated product and process development techniques and leveraged private sector COTS development to successfully reengineer the shipboard portion of the SWS, company officials claim. The new open system architecture enables regular system architecture enhancements with the insertion of new commercial technology without requiring another major system redesign. This successful effort allowed the Navy to avoid the enormous costs to operate and maintain obsolete and unique legacy equipment without impact to system performance or nuclear safety, Lockheed Martin officials say.
The first of these new open systems is currently being installed aboard the USS Alaska (SSBN 732) as she undergoes overhaul and conversion to Trident II capability at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, company officials say. The other 13 Trident II SSBNs will also be outfitted with the redesigned system when they are overhauled, and eventually, the entire 14 ship Trident II D5 strategic submarine force will be outfitted with the new system.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Missiles & Space Operations and Lockheed Martin Naval Electronics & Surveillance Systems-Undersea Systems in Mitchel Field, N.J., were members of the team, as well as Navy SSP. Other members included the Space & Warfare (SPAWAR) System Center in San Diego, General Dynamics Defense Systems, the Naval Sea System Command, the Defense Contract Management Agency , Boeing North American, Dynamics Research Corp., EG&G, the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Crane, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Dalhgren Division.
The Navy selected Lockheed Martin Space Systems operations in Sunnyvale, Calif., as its prime missile contractor and missile system manager in 1955. Since then, the Lockheed Martin team has designed, developed, produced and
supported six successive generations of Fleet Ballistic Missiles -- Polaris (A1), Polaris (A2), Polaris (A3), Poseidon (C3), Trident I (C4) and Trident II (D5).
For more information on Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Missiles & Space Operations contact the company on the World Wide Web at http://www.lockheedmartin.com.
Military & Aerospace Electronics
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