Neel Mehta
In the event of a crisis, minutes matter. The faster aid and assistance can be mobilized, the more likely victims survive and society recovers.
Government contractors have long responded to calls for aid in the wake of disasters of all kinds. They“™ve sent food to starving countries and medicine to needy children. They“™ve lent a helping hand to storm victims struggling to rebuild, wrapped the sick in comforting quilts and served those who served the nation. They“™ve sent equipment, personnel and know-how to other nations ravaged by earthquakes, tsunamis and war.
Now, Lockheed Martin is taking providing aid to a new level. The U.S. Navy recently tapped the technology corporation to develop processes, technologies and systems that will assist the military, government and civilian agencies to respond to disasters quicker and more effectively.
The Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division awarded Lockheed a two-year, $1.9 million contract to support the U.S. Marine Corps, Pacific unit“™s assistance and relief program.
“We are excited to work with the Naval Air Systems Command to improve disaster response capabilities so that life-saving assistance can be focused where it is most needed,” said Jim Quinn, vice president of C4ISR Systems with Lockheed Martin’s IS&GS-Defense. “We’ll leverage our C4ISR expertise to determine how these technologies can be used to improve responsiveness and effectiveness during crisis relief operations.”
Lockheed“™s C4ISR will provide first-responders with networking, collaboration and communication tools. Lockheed hopes to further develop first-hand sensors on the ground to further assist in evacuation plans and distribution of assistance.
The project is spearheaded by the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, Experimentation Center, the Office of Naval Research, and the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance.
