Raytheon gets $291M for work on AIM-9x Block II missiles

American defense contractor Raytheon has been awarded a $291,750,539 contract modification for the AIM-9x Block II program which is an upgrade of the U.S. Navy’s Aim 9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile.

The U.S. Navy cleared Raytheon to begin full-rate production on the AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II infrared air-to-air missile in September 2015. The program completed operational tests and evaluation earlier in the year allowing Raytheon to produce missiles at full factory capacity.

Under the latest modification, Raytheon is to deliver 660 AIM-9X Block II All Up Round tactical full rate production Llot 16 Missiles for the Navy (160), Air Force (429), Army (7) and the governments of Japan (4), Norway (20) and Taiwan (40).

The Naval Air Systems Command, which is the contracting authority, has ordered 252 Block II Captive Air Training Missiles for the Navy (47), Air Force (77), and the governments of Japan (6), Norway (30), Turkey (18), Australia (20), Australia (14), and Taiwan (40);

In Addition, Raytheon is to provide special air training missiles, all up round containers, captive test missiles, one lot of classified assets for the Government of Australia, spare advanced optical target detectors, spare guidance units (live battery), spare captive air training missile guidance units among other items to a number of customer countries.

Work on the contract will, accordingly, be carried out in the U.S. and Europe and is expected to be completed by March 2019.