Lockheed Martin Corp. said Friday a team it is leading has been awarded a U.S. Navy contract worth $376 million to lead an industry team that will build the nation's seventh Littoral Combat Ship, a small surface vessel aimed for operations close to shore.

The contract will fund the second of 10 ships the Navy awarded the Lockheed Martin team in December. The contracts for the remaining eight ships will be awarded through 2015.

Marinette Marine Corp. will build the ships in Marinette, Wis., and naval architect Gibbs & Cox will provide engineering and design support.

The first of these ships, USS Freedom, which was commissioned in 2008.

Shares of Lockheed, which is based in Bethesda, Md., rose 81 cents to $81.22 in morning trading Friday.