Raytheon to provide Griffin missiles to U.S. Air Force

Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Raytheon has been awarded a $105.2 million contract to provide AGM-176 Griffin missiles to the U.S. Air Force.

The deal, announced Thursday by the Department of Defense, comes under the terms of a firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity contract that is a modification to a previous contract award.

The Griffin missile is classified as a lightweight, precision-guided munition that can be launched from multiple platforms and is used by multiple services in different combat roles.

Currently, the Griffin is available in two different variants. The Griffin A is an aft-eject missile which can be fired from a common launch tube or from a C-130 aircraft.

The Griffin B is a forward-firing missile that can be fired from a composite launch tube. It's also used in both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, in addition to ground platforms and Navy Cyclone-class Patrol Coastal ships, according to Raytheon.

Raytheon is currently developing a Griffin C missile with dual-mode guidance and Griffin C-ER that aims to extend the range of the missile.

The contract modification brings the total cumulative value of the contract to more than $210 million, and provides an option for the delivery of Griffin missile variants, along with test and engineering support, if exercised.

Work on the contract will occur in Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be complete by December 2020.

More than $11.2 million has been obligated to Raytheon at the time of award from fiscal 2016 and 2018 procurement funds.