BALTIMORE, MD – Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) announced today that she has secured $4 million for Maryland-based Lockheed Martin to complete upgrades to the Mark 41 Vertical Launch System, the U.S. Navy’s principal surface missile launcher. The project will bring a legacy weapons system into the 21st century for the Navy.

“This project is important to America. It helps our Navy, preserving the legacy of the Mark 41 Launcher. The technology developed will keep the Navy second to none in the world,” said Senator Mikulski. “We are a nation at war, a Navy at war. Marylanders at Lockheed Martin are sacrificing every day in the global war on terror - doing their part to make America safer, stronger and smarter.”

The stop marks the second leg of Senator Mikulski’s military innovation tour of Maryland. The Senator will visit more than a dozen military facilities on her multi-city tour, where she will address the development of smarter tools for our military, new jobs for the state and innovative technology that will protect our troops.

Federal funding for this project will result in enhanced war fighting capability, greater flexibility to respond faster to emerging threats, and a reduction of maintenance and upgrade costs for the future. Lockheed will replace the launcher’s hardware and software with commercially available equipment, which will reduce costs. The monies will also enable the manufacturer to complete, test and field the Navy’s Open Architecture Compliant system.

“A stronger America begins at home,” said Senator Mikulski. “This project means smarter tools for our military, jobs for Baltimore and innovative technology that provides the Navy’s firepower to deter aggression and preserve freedom of the seas.”

The funding comes as part of the $440 billion 2006 Defense spending bill, which was passed by the U.S. Senate and includes an additional $125 million for Maryland defense projects. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Defense Subcommittee, Senator Mikulski has fought for nearly $7 million for this project, which supports more than 600 jobs in manufacturing and engineering.

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