Spanish shipbuilder Navantia and global security leader Lockheed Martin today signed a memorandum of agreement to explore new market opportunities in surface ships, submarines, naval systems and adjacent areas. Both companies will evaluate mutually beneficial work and collaborate in marketing activities.
The agreement includes activities such as capture planning, developing technical baselines, studying product commonality and potential co-development, evolving existing cooperative business models, and supporting proposal efforts for new business.
The agreement was signed in Madrid by Aurelio Martínez, president of Navantia, and Orlando Carvalho, president of Lockheed Martin’s Mission Systems and Sensors business, which is based in Washington, DC.
“We have successfully collaborated with Lockheed Martin on surface ships for Spain, Norway and Australia, and we are now starting to collaborate on submarines, which could open interesting new markets,” said Martínez. “Lockheed Martin has long experience in the design, development and production of naval combat systems and has been collaborating with Navantia since the mid-1990’s to provide these systems for many of the ships that Navantia builds.”
Both the F-100 class frigates for the Spanish Navy and the F-310 class frigates for the Royal Norwegian Navy have the Aegis Combat System on board, making Navantia the only shipyard currently integrating Aegis with medium size platforms.
“This new agreement with Navantia builds on an important long-term partnership and provides unique opportunities for both companies in the international naval market,” said Carvalho. “We are looking forward to working even more closely with Navantia as we begin this new and important chapter in the relationship between our companies.”
Headquartered in Madrid, Navantia, the Spanish shipbuilder, is a world reference in the design, construction and integration of war ships, including new generation submarines. It is also engaged in the design and manufacture of integrated platform management systems, fire control systems, command and control systems, propulsion plants and through life support for naval vessels.