Lockheed nabs $233M for work on Mk 41 launching system

Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has received a $233 million contract for work on the Mk 41 vertical launching system, according to the Department of Defense.

The contract, which funds procurement of vertical launcher module assemblies, modernization kits and spare components for the launching system, a modular missile launch system capable of launching multiple standard missile variants.

The contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and three other governments through the foreign military sales program.

The Navy funded 74 percent of the deal, with the government of Korea funding 18 percent and Finland and Germany each funding 4 percent of the contract.

The Mk 41 has been in U.S. Navy service since 1986.

In December 2018, the Navy awarded BAE Systems $41.5 million for for SM-3 and SM-6 surface-to-air missile canisters for the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System. In November of the same year, BAE received $45.9 million for Mk 41 launch system engineering.