Raytheon, Nammo team for missile motors

PARIS, June 22 (UPI) -- U.S. company Raytheon and Norway's Nammo are working together to provide a second source for missile motors.

Raytheon, in a news release from the Paris Air Show, said the partnership is in the process of qualifying an alternate rocket engine for the AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile.

The motor will be interchangeable with the AMRAAM propulsion system and will maintain the same performance as the current device.

"A second source of rocket motors ensures Raytheon will meet its commitment to the U.S. and allied warfighter by providing an uninterrupted supply of the world's most capable beyond-visual range air-to-air missile," said Harry Schulte, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems' Air Warfare Systems product line.

"Our partnership with Nammo leverages Raytheon's decades of experience partnering with European businesses to build and deliver reliable and capable systems."

The U.S. Air Force, the Norwegian Ministry of Defense, Innovation Norway, Raytheon and Nammo Raufoss AS share financing for non-recurring costs associated with the qualification program.

"Nammo has a rich history of producing rocket motors for air-to-air missiles and has delivered more than 40,000 rocket motors for the Sidewinder program alone," said Ola Skrivervik, Nammo's senior vice president of Business Development. "The AMRAAM qualification program is progressing rapidly and with great success."

The AMRAAM, used by 36 countries, is integrated on the F-16, F-15, F/A-18, F-22, Typhoon, Gripen, Tornado, Harrier, F-4 and the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. It is also the baseline missile for the U.S. Army's Surface Launched-AMRAAM and the NATO-approved Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System.