An AIM-9X missile launches from an F/A-18. U.S. Navy photo
June 15 (UPI) -- Raytheon has received an $83 million modification to an existing contract for the procurement of full-rate production 180 AIM-9X Block II air-to-air missiles.
The contract modification will supply missiles to the Navy, Air Force, Romania, Poland, Indonesia, Romania and Belgium. The modification also provides for the procurement of 19 captive air-training missiles for the Air Force and Navy, along with 50 missiles containers for the U.S. military and foreign governments.
The Marine Corps will receive three special training missiles for its Harrier jump jet program, and a wide spectrum of spare parts and support systems will be delivered to the Navy, Air Force, and Poland.
Work will primarily be completed in Tuscon, Ariz., and Andover, Mass., with smaller contracts at locations inside and outside the continental U.S, as well as Canada and Germany.
Work is expected to be completed by March 2020. Fiscal 2017 Navy weapons procurement, research development, and testing funds, fiscal 2015. 2016, and 2017 Air Force weapons procurement funds, and foreign military sales funds totalling $83 million will be obligated at the time of award. $10 million will expire at the end of the fiscal year.
The AIM-9-X Block II is the latest version of the Sidewinder short-range infrared missile system, which has been in service since 1956. Variants of the Sidewinder are in use by the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and over 40 countries.
The AIM-9X features an imaging infrared targeting system with an electro-optical target detector. It is all-aspect, meaning it can target aircraft from any angle, and can also be used by surface-to-air platforms with no special modifications. The missile is also compatible with the U.S. Army ground-based multi-mission launcher.
