Lockheed looks to regulatory and acquisition reform in 2018

By Marjorie Censer  / March 5, 2018

Reforming regulations and the acquisition process will be two areas of policy focus for Lockheed Martin in 2018, according to the company's chief executive.

Speaking to reporters March 5 at Lockheed's annual media day in Arlington, VA, Marillyn Hewson said the contractor has identified three policy areas likely to have the greatest impact on the business.

"The first is regulatory reform," she said. "Lockheed Martin has had the honor of working closely with the administration to identify opportunities to sensibly streamline regulations and introduce robust cost-benefit analyses to our nation’s regulatory discussions and processes."

Hewson said regulations particularly take a toll on small businesses, many of which are Lockheed's suppliers.

Additionally, Lockheed plans to collaborate with the government on acquisition reform.

"We are encouraged by [Defense] Secretary [Jim] Mattis' focus on streamlining requirements and acquisition processes as part of the three 'lines of effort' he outlined for the Department of Defense last fall," Hewson said. "Significant opportunity remains to shorten the timeline for contract awards and open up competition."

Hewson said Lockheed is also focusing on developing its workforce and bolstering its talent pipeline.

She told reporters the company is readying for job growth in key regions.

In Fort Worth, TX, home to Lockheed's aeronautics facility, for instance, the contractor added 1,300 new jobs last year and plans to hire about 500 more by the end of this year.

Outside Denver, Lockheed last year started building a next-generation satellite factory, which she said will be a "paperless, digitally enabled production environment that houses reconfigurable production lines and advanced test capabilities." Lockheed has more than 9,000 employees in the state, according to Hewson.

Additionally, she said Lockheed last month broke ground on a new research and development facility in Orlando, FL, that will support advanced combat systems, manned and unmanned systems and missile and rocket programs.

"To support our expansion, we also plan to hire about 1,800 people across our missiles and fire control business over the next two years," Hewson continued, noting that 500 of those jobs will be based in Orlando. The remainder will be in other states, including California and Kentucky.