Times Daily | Facility could double workers

Facility could double workers
By Nancy Glasscock | Times Daily | August 23, 2011

Lockheed Martin’s Courtland facility will double its workforce if the Missile Defense Agency awards the company a contract to build a missile to intercept intermediate to long-range ballistic missiles, company officials said Monday.

The company and U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Haleyville, made the announcement at Lockheed’s Huntsville facility. Aderholt said production of the missile in Courtland would be a “big win for Alabama.”

“This really boils down to economic development for our region,” he said.

Lockheed Martin is one of three companies seeking the contract to build the Standard Missile-3 Block IIB. The contract is scheduled to be awarded in 2013.

If Lockheed Martin receives the contract, 50 jobs will be added at the Courtland facility by 2018. An additional 25 government jobs and contractors also will be added.

“It will help the town and county, with as many layoffs as we’ve had,” Courtland Mayor Ted Letson said. “I appreciate Lockheed Martin putting confidence in the Courtland facility.”

The contract for production will follow the now-operative program planning phase for which the Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed Martin a $43.3 million contract in April. The 32-month concept definition and program planning phase focuses on defining objectives, conducting trade studies, reducing technology risks and developing an executable program plan.

John Holly, vice president of Missile Defense Systems for Lockheed Martin’s Space Systems Co., said the Courtland facility has been a “proven provider” of assembly, integration and testing of ballistic missile targets.

“This decision represents Lockheed’s continued commitment to the nation’s missile defense and the north Alabama community where we have operated for nearly 50 years,” he said.

The Courtland facility now employs 50 and builds threat-representative ballistic missile targets.

The Courtland facility was chosen after a thorough analysis, said Doug Graham, vice president of advanced programs for the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co.’s Strategic and Missile Defense Systems.

Regarding fluctuations in defense funding, Aderholt said failing to adequately fund defense would be a mistake.

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