The Navy’s Best Manufacturing Practices (BMP) Survey Team will conduct an on-site survey of Textron Defense Systems (TDS) the week of March 3, 2008. Located in Wilmington, Massachusetts, TDS is an operating unit of Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron company. TDS is a leader in precision engagement that includes development and manufacture of air-launched weapons, smart submunitions, intelligent battlefield munitions and sensor systems, and ground and airborne surveillance systems. TDS is also a leader in applying Lean Six Sigma to facilitate enterprise transformation and recently completed an accelerated continuous improvement program aimed at developing a lean, scalable, mixed-model production process for present and future electromechanical assemblies. The BMP Survey Team looks forward to visiting TDS and to showing the facility’s best practices.