Lockheed Martin gets Exxonmobil contract

ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company (EMRE) awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to serve as the systems integrator in the early stage development of a next-generation open and secure automation system for process industries.

Lockheed Martin will be responsible for the advanced processing architecture working with EMRE in this pre-development phase. As part of this research phase, Lockheed Martin will be conducting an Industry Day on January 26, 2016 and will solicit Requests for Information (RFIs) from industry in support of the new system.

“We continue to challenge ourselves by looking at existing processes and finding new and more innovative ways of working using both internal and external ideas,” said Vijay Swarup, vice president of Research and Development at ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company. “This breakthrough initiative could help transform refining and chemical manufacturing through the use of high-speed computational components, modular software, open standards, and the use of autonomous tools.”

The automation platform will provide several sources of value for industrial manufacturers. The platform can be designed with intrinsic cybersecurity protection that is adaptable to emerging threats. The architecture will also promote competition and innovation in the marketplace. Lastly, interoperability, modularity and adherence to industry standards will lower the cost of integrating new system components or replacing legacy platforms.