Mannarino Systems & Software Inc., sees the potential of its solutions business soaring with its signing an agreement to collaborate with Lockheed Martin in the development to develop and commercialization of airborne software.

The Saint-Laurent, Que.-based company said its investment framework agreement under the Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) Policy with Lockheed Martin represents the largest investment the aerospace company has made in a Canadian small and medium-sized enterprise (SME).

It is also an important investment for the province because the contract will create more than research and development engineering positions, as well as product commercialization jobs at Mannarino’s  Montreal office.

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“This particular investment will be the springboard that propels our company into the airborne software products business,” John Mannarino, president and founder of Mannarino Systems & Software, said. “Our decision to diversify the company offering was based on the feedback received from our existing customers on their current and future program requirements.”

Mannarino Systems is a Transport Canada approved design approval organization (DAO) for airborne software (RTCA/DO-178) and airborne electronic hardware (AEH) (RTCA/DO-254). It provides safety-critical systems, software, and electronic hardware engineering services to the aerospace, defense, space, simulation, rail and power generation industries.

The offset investment behind Lockheed Martin’s framework investment is in direct support of ITB obligations associated with Canada’s purchase and in-service support maintenance, and support of 17 CC-130J Super Hercules aircraft, which were delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force in 2010.

“We have been impressed by Mannarino’s track record as an engineering services firm in the development and certification of software products that are globally competitive and are proud to support such an innovative organization,” said Charles Bouchard, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Canada. “The success of this framework investment is an example of how large international aerospace companies such as Lockheed Martin can collaborate with smaller businesses in Canada to create opportunities for lasting growth in the Canadian economy.”