THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 15, 1996 TAG: 9606150322
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLENE CASON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 59 lines
A blazing sun spotlighted an aging but strengthened F-14 Tomcat on Friday on Oceana Naval Air Station's heat-shimmering flight line as Navy Secretary John Dalton hailed the partnership that made its newest weapons system ``smart from day one.''
The system, dubbed LANTIRN - for Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night - was unveiled just 223 days after the Navy signed a contract with its builder - Orlando, Fla.-based Lockheed Martin Electronics and Missiles.
``It's a remarkable example of Navy-industry partnership - cost-effective and efficient,'' Dalton said.
``The system is on-target, ahead of schedule and deadly accurate.''
He said he ``welcomes anyone else with cost-saving ideas to come on in - the water's fine,'' referring to retired Vice Adm. Richard Allen, who, while he was commander of the Naval Air Force Atlantic, listened to Lockheed-Martin designers while they presented a fantastic idea of how to add proven technology to the F-14.
``I believed in the industry/fighter wing team,'' Allen said.
And the Navy saw ``a cost-effective, savvy solution to the strike-fighter shortfall,'' Dalton said.
Thomas Corcoran, the company's president and chief operating officer, said the Navy and the Lockheed-Martin team ``took on the challenge in a timely manner.''
``We were able to affordably achieve the system by getting it right the first time,'' he said. ``This is, indeed, a precedent-setting story of Navy and industry collaboration.''
Dalton said the partnership led to success because it saved money, met goals and improved the Navy's capabilities.
``Today's fiscal environment requires that we be smarter and more creative in the way we develop, build and buy our weapons systems,'' he said.
The Navy has requested $358 million to outfit all its Tomcats with the new system by the end of fiscal year 1997.
A spirited video, which superimposed a LANTIRN-equipped Tomcat over a stalking jungle cat, was presented at Friday's ceremony.
The LANTIRN system uses an infrared eye to extend the fighter plane's vision and a laser to lock onto ground targets and guide the plane's ``smart bombs.''
It also incorporates a global-positioning system that enables the F-14 to determine its position, target, and the route a bomb should take to hit its mark.
Dalton said that, knowing the weapons system's capabilities, he was glad he ``wasn't on the wrong side of liberty and democracy,'' and that he ``was not the new cat's supper.'' ILLUSTRATION: VICKI CRONIS
The Virginian-Pilot
John H. Dalton, secretary of the Navy, visited Oceana Naval Air
Station on Friday to hail a military-industry partnership that built
a new type of ``smart'' weapons system. The Navy wants to spend $358
million to fit all its Tomcat fighter planes with the new LANTIRN
targeting system. by CNB