Defense News
07/07/09
Lockheed To Support Japanese Destroyers
By Wendell Minnick
TAIPEI - Lockheed Martin was awarded a $7 million Foreign Military Sales contract by the U.S. Defense Department to support lifetime Aegis modernization efforts for the Atago-class and Kongo-class destroyers.
Lockheed Martin won a new FMS contract to support lifetime Aegis modernization efforts for Atago-class and Kongo-class destroyers. Shown above is the Kongo.
The July 2 contract modifies a previous award and is expected to be completed in early 2010.
"This modification includes options which, if exercised, would increase the cumulative value of the contract by $41 million," said a DoD award notification.
Japan built four Kongo-class destroyers in the 1990s and launched two Atago-class destroyers in 2007 and 2008.
"This work will include preparing for and responding to price and availability requests, conducting studies, supporting USN [U.S. Navy] in development of a technology control plan to address product protection, computer program modifications, and future cooperative development and interface between U.S and Japan baselines," the Pentagon notification.
Japan has been engaged in efforts to improve its sea-borne based ballistic missile defense capabilities in the wake of North Korean missile tests and saber rattling.
