High-profile mission
"It was a high-profile mission, so obviously you want to have success," said Paul Lemmo, director of business development for the company's Maritime Security and Ship Systems division. The company has been selling the Navy its launchers since 1984 and, in recent years, has sold them to 11 foreign governments.
Raytheon, the missile's manufacturer, also weighed in with a statement: "Much engineering and technical expertise made this one-time mission possible, with Raytheon engineers working closely with our customers throughout the operation."
Lockheed Martin officials were less willing to discuss the company's errant satellite, which malfunctioned shortly after launch in December 2006. The satellite, orbiting Earth every 90 minutes, was expected to fall from the sky in late February or March - with its tank of hydrazine. Pentagon officials said it had to be destroyed because of the safety risk posed by the hydrazine.
A Lockheed Martin spokesman referred questions about the satellite to the Pentagon, which declined to discuss it. Federal laws prohibit contractors from discussing details of many military contracts.
dennis.obrien@baltsun.com
