US DoD awarded a $491mn contract to Raytheon for Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missiles

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World Defense & Security Industry News - Raytheon
 
 
US DoD awarded a $491mn contract to Raytheon for Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missiles
 

The US Department of Defense yesterday, December 22 awarded a $491,478,068 contract to Raytheon Co for Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM) production Lot 28. Contractor will provide AMRAAM missiles and other AMRAAM system items.

     
The US Department of Defense yesterday, December 22 awarded a $491,478,068 contract to Raytheon Co for Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM) production Lot 28. Contractor will provide AMRAAM missiles and other AMRAAM system items. Raytheon's AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile removed from a F-22A Raptor
(Pic. USAF)
     
The AMRAAM system includes the missile, captive air training missile, common munitions bit/reprogramming equipment, and non-developmental item airborne instrumentation unit. Work will be performed at Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2017.

The Raytheon AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) is an all-weather, all environment radar guided missile developed to improve capabilities against very low altitude and high-altitude, high-speed targets in an electronic countermeasures environment. The AMRAAM is a joint U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy program (led by the Air Force). AMRAAM is currently in service with more than 36 countries.

The AIM-120 improves the aerial combat capabilities of U.S. and allied aircraft to meet current and future threat of enemy air-to-air weapons. AMRAAM is a follow-on to the AIM-7 Sparrow missile. The AIM-120 is faster, smaller and lighter, and has improved capabilities against low-altitude targets. It incorporates active radar with an inertial reference unit and micro-computer system, which makes the missile less dependent on the fire-control system of the aircraft. Once the missile closes on a target, its active radar guides it to intercept. This enables the pilot to aim and fire several missiles simultaneously at multiple targets. The pilot may then perform evasive maneuvers while the missiles guide themselves to their targets.