Lockheed Martin Acquires Aussie Defense IT Firm

Defense contractor Lockheed Martin said it has acquired RLM Systems PTY Ltd., an Australian-based provider of systems engineering, software development, and program management products and services.

Terms of the deal, disclosed Monday, weren't announced. RLM Systems was owned by the RLM Group, which is a 50/50 joint venture between Lockheed Martin and the Tenix Group.

The transaction will add more than 100 employees to the defense contractor's Australian operations. The newly formed entity will do business as Lockheed Martin Australia Information Systems and Global Services.

RLM Systems provides a range of IT services to the military, government, and private sectors, including custom application development, systems integration, and data and communications security assessment.

Separately, Lockheed Martin announced Monday that it has been awarded a $14.2 million contract from the U.S. Navy to provide engineering and program management services to help the U.K. Royal Navy develop its Trident II ballistic missile program.

The contract, officially awarded April 1, runs through March 2008.