Lockheed Martin Celebrates 30 Years in Greenville
August 25, 2014
GREENVILLE, SC – Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] celebrates 30 years of operation in Greenville, S.C. this week as an aircraft modification, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MMRO) facility. The company signed a lease with the Donaldson Development Commission on August 27, 1984, to begin operations as the Lockheed Aeromod Center, Inc.
The original footprint of the two hangars and one office building, located at the former U.S. Army Air Force base, quickly expanded to accommodate the influx of military and commercial aircraft. The inaugural team of 12 employees welcomed a P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft to the facility as the first aircraft in work.
Since then, the Lockheed Martin Greenville team has exponentially grown in workforce, delivered nearly 3,000 aircraft to customers worldwide, volunteered thousands of hours with local organizations, provided millions of dollars in philanthropic contributions, and has annual economic impact of $100 million to the surrounding area.
Originally chartered to provide affordable, world-class aircraft maintenance, repair, modification and logistic services to domestic and international customers, the team continues to excel in bringing aircraft back to life.
Greenville operations
“Guided by that commitment to our customer and community, we are excited to be celebrating this 30-year milestone in the Greenville community as a quality and affordable aircraft maintenance resource for our government, international partners and allies,” said Don Erickson, site director of Lockheed Martin Greenville Operations. “And though some of the most complex and innovative sustainment work in the industry is performed at this site, it is the heart and dedication of our team that truly make this a world-class operations. It is those people – past, present and future—that we are celebrating.”
Along with the many deliveries of countless aircraft on platforms such as the C-130, KC-10, C-9 and DC-10 over the years, one of the operation’s current cornerstone programs is reviving P-3 Orion aircraft from desert storage at Davis-Monthan Air Force base in Tucson, Arizona. Retired to the “aircraft boneyard,” these aircraft have reached the end of operational use, but through the unique MMRO capabilities provided by the Greenville team, the airframes, interiors and mission systems receive a complete overhauls and advanced upgrades. This Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) solution removes current aircraft flight restrictions and extends the structural service life for an additional 15 to 20 years of operational use.
Today, the facility is spread across 275 acres that include a state-of-the-art paint and coatings hangar, a center of excellence for warehouse and kitting, and a complete offering of support shops for parts repair and fabrication.
About Lockheed Martin:
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 113,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2013 were $45.4 billion.
