Orbital ATK Chosen as 2015 Tibbetts SBIR Award Winner

DULLES, Va.

OrbitalATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, announced today that it was chosen by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as one of the 2015 Tibbetts award winners for the 2015 Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Award. This award places the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) in a class of innovative products and recognizes it as one of the most significant achievements produced by the SBA’s SBIR program.

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150706005023/en/

The 2015 Tibbetts Small Business Innovative Research Award was presented to Orbital ATK for its AARGM program. On hand for the presentation were: (from left to right) Maria Contreras-Sweet, U.S. S.B.A. Administrator; Gordon Turner, Orbital ATK Vice President Strike Weapons; Mike Kahn, Orbital ATK President Defense Systems Group; and Javier Saade, U.S. S.B.A. Associate Administrator. (Photo: Business Wire)

Orbital ATK was chosen as recipient of this award for its work on the AARGM missile, a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile system, upgrading legacy AGM-88 HARM systems with advanced sensors and algorithms. AARGM provides the capability required by U.S. and allied aircrews against modern surface-to-air threats.

“This award is a tremendous honor for the AARGM team and Orbital ATK,” said Mike Kahn, president of the Orbital ATK Defense Systems Group. “The AARGM program is an excellent example of how partnering between industry, the U.S. Navy and SBA can leverage the innovation and technology generated by small businesses and the SBIR program to provide the affordable and effective solutions needed by the warfighter.”

The AARGM program began with the original Phase I SBIR award to Science and Applied Technologies (SAT), which was subsequently awarded Phase II and III awards. In 2002, SAT became a part of Orbital ATK’s predecessor company, Alliant Techsystems. The company was awarded System Development and Demonstration and production phase contracts for AARGM, yielding the fielded product and a major SBIR success story, as acknowledged by the Tibbetts award.

AARGM is a cooperative program with U.S. Navy and the Italian Air Force and is an ACAT-I major defense acquisition program. AARGM is currently fielded and compatible with F/A-18A-F, EA-18G and the Italian Air Force’s Tornado ECR aircraft.

Orbital ATK’s Defense Systems Group is an industry leader in providing innovative and affordable ammunition, precision and strike weapons, electronic warfare systems, and missile components across air-, sea-, and land-based systems.

About the Tibbetts Awards

The Tibbetts awards are presented annually to those who are beacons of promise and models of excellence in high-technology. Winners are selected based on the economic impact of their technological innovation, and the extent to which that innovation served federal R&D needs, encouraged diverse participation and increased the commercialization of federal research. The Tibbetts Awards are given to small businesses and individuals judged to exemplify the best in the SBIR program. The award is named for Roland Tibbetts, acknowledged as the father of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, and is presented to companies and individuals that promote the mission and goals of the SBIR Program:

• to stimulate technological innovation
• to use small business to meet federal research and development needs
• to encourage diverse participation in technological innovation
• to increase commercialization of Federal research

About the SBA

Created in 1953, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) helps Americans to start, grow and succeed with their own companies. The Administration’s mission is described as the three C’s: facilitating access to capital, providing counseling, and ensuring emerging businesses receive a quarter of Federal contract dollars.

About Orbital ATK

Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies. The company designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation systems for customers around the world, both as a prime contractor and merchant supplier. Its main products include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced aerospace structures. Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Orbital ATK employs more than 12,000 people in 20 states across the U.S. and in several international locations. For more information, visit www.orbitalatk.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150706005023/en/

Media Contact:
Orbital ATK
Bryan Kidder, 410-864-4932
Defense Systems Group Communications
bryan.kidder@orbitalatk.com
or
Investor Contact:
Orbital ATK
Barron Beneski, 703-406-5528
Public & Investor Relations
barron.beneski@orbitalatk.com