CIRCOR Aerospace, Inc., a CIRCOR International company (NYSE:CIR) is pleased to congratulate Lockheed Martin, Marinette Marine Corporation and Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A. on the launch of the third Littoral Combat Ship, the USS Fort Worth.

CIRCOR Aerospace is the supplier of the engine start manifolds on the first Littoral Combat Ship (LCS – USS Freedom) designed and developed by the Lockheed Martin/Marinette Marine LCS team for the United States Navy. CIRCOR Aerospace also provides four independent high pressure manifold assemblies powering critical pneumatic systems for the USS Ft. Worth, the second ship manufactured by the Lockheed team. These manifolds control the ship propulsion turbine start system and comprise a system of pneumatic flow controls used throughout the ship to enable complex mission requirements.

Leslie Controls, a product line within the CIRCOR International Flow Controls group located in Tampa, Florida, also supports the LCS program by supplying a fuel oil pressure control valve for the gas turbine engines.

“CIRCOR Aerospace is proud to be a consistent and reliable supplier of systems and component controls on the LCS and other naval programs and we send our congratulations to the LCS 3 Team,” noted Christopher Celtruda, Group Vice President of CIRCOR Aerospace Products.

The USS Fort Worth is expected to be completed and delivered to the United States Navy in late 2012. The Littoral Combat Ship program is expected to go into a full rate production mode in 2013 to support the needs of the US Navy and international partner nations.