Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grumman contracts benefit our region

July 25, 2018 — Two of the biggest defense companies in the world scooped up additional contracts.

Lockheed Martin’s Aeronautics Co. won a 3-year contract for $175.3 million for the U.S. Navy for development, testing and activation of 13 different F-35 component repair capabilities in support of the F-35 Lightning aircraft. While most of the work will take place in New Hampshire, smaller parts of that will happen in Orlando — where Lockheed Martin has more than 7,000 employees.

Northrop Grumman’s Aerospace Systems in Melbourne won a $15.3 million 2-year contract from the U.S. Navy for fabrication, integration, testing, system production and delivery of support equipment for the Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS) program. Nearly all of the work for the contract will take place in Melbourne, while smaller parts will happen in Tucson, Ariz.

According to the Orlando Economic Partnership and the Orlando Business Journal, Central Florida is a major player when it comes to defense contracts, with about $4 billion in government contracts each year partially because the nation’s Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines simulation operations are based in Central Florida Research Park. That work helps make this region the modeling, simulation and training capital of the world.

SOURCE: Orlando Business Journal, Matthew Richardson , June 25, 2018