Moulton Advertiser | Missiles in Courtland?

Missiles in Courtland?
By Ginger Grantham | Moulton Advertiser | August 25, 2011

If she had tried, Kelly Webster DeFazio, director of Lockheed Martin Courtland Operations, could not have picked a better day to host the monthly lunch meeting of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday.

On Monday, Lockheed Martin Space Systems announced the Courtland Operations, located in the Lawrence County Industrial Airpark at the Courtland Airport, will be the site to assemble the SM3-IIB missile if it wins a three-company competition to be the developer for the U.S. Army's Missile Defense Agency.

The contract is scheduled to be awarded in 2013.

"I really didn't plan this when I talked to Kim Hood (Chamber Executive Director) about hosting this meeting," DeFazio said. "But it could not have been better."

In the announcement on Monday in Huntsville, Lockheed Vice President for Missile Defense Systems John Holly said Lockheed intends to win the competition and Courtland will be a key part of their plan.

"Our Courtland facility is a proven provider of assembly, integration and test of ballistic missile targets and missile defense systems," Holly said. "This decision represents Lockheed's continued commitment to the nation's missile defense and the North Alabama Community, where we have operated for nearly 30 years."

The Courtland currently produces the target missiles that test the nation's missile defense systems.

"They use our missiles for target practice," Defazio said.

She went on to explain the missiles produced in Courtland have all the countermeasures to prevent protection that an enemy's missile would have. The target missiles must thoroughly test the defense system.

U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) was at Monday's announcement.

"Lockheed Martin already understands what more companies should know, Lawrence County is a fantastic place to do business," Aderholt said. "Lawrence County is a growing, vibrant Alabama community with a county government that is business friendly and a potential employee pool that is second to none."

If Lockheed wins the bid for the new missile, the Courtland Operations will double its work force to 100. Currently Lockheed's 50 employees work with 25 contractors and Missile Defense Agency officials on site.

Lawrence County officials attending the announcement included Courtland Mayor Ted Letson and Councilwoman Laura Terry, County Commissioners Joey Hargrove and Bobby Burch, LC Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kim Hood and Lawrence County IDB Director Luke Slaton.

At Tuesday's Chamber meeting, DeFazio outlined the Courtland facility for attendees. There are 13 primary structures. There are two missile assembly buildings and underground storage on the 661-acre site.

She said the countermeasure program used motors from older missiles to make the target missiles. Incidentally, all employees wear 100 percent cotton clothing to prevent static electricity as they work on design, production and testing of missiles.

One project that would benefit both Lockheed and the Courtland Airport would be extending the runway to allow for larger planes to land. Currently, the missiles are trucked to Huntsville for air transport. The longer runway would allow the missiles to be flown out of Courtland.

Following the lunch meeting, DeFazio conducted a tour of the facilities.

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