ATK receives US Navy production contract for supersonic AARGM
24 Jan 2009
Minneapolis: ATK, a US aerospace and defence major, has received a $55 million Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract from the US Navy for the advanced anti-radiation guided missile (AARGM). The contract is for missiles, containers, spares, support/special test equipment, and required production transition activities.
The contract provides for AARGM deliveries of sufficient quantity to meet the US Navy's Initial Operational Capability (IOC) in 2010.
Under terms of the contract, ATK will provide the weapon systems for use on US Navy and Marine Corps F/A-18C/D aircraft.
ATK says it has collaboratively developed the AARGM with the US Navy and Italian Air Force AARGM Integrated Product Team. The AARGM team also includes members from the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, the Naval Air Systems Command and multiple industry partners.
AARGM
The AARGM is a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile due to be integrated on the FA-18C/D, FA-18E/F, EA-18G and Tornado ECR aircraft. The missile is also designed for compatibility with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, EA-6B Prowler and US F-16 Falcon aircraft.
Its advanced multi-sensor system, including a Millimeter Wave (MMW) terminal seeker, advanced digital anti-radiation homing (ARH) receiver and a Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS), is capable of rapidly engaging traditional and advanced enemy air defence targets as well as non-radar, time-sensitive strike targets.
The AARGM MMW seeker can operate in concert with the ARH to counter RF shutdown tactics, or in a stand-alone mode to guide to non-emitting targets. AARGM is a network-enabled weapon that will directly receive tactical intelligence information via an embedded receiver and transmit near real-time Weapon Impact Assessment (WIA) reports prior to weapon detonation.
The AARGM, an upgrade to the US Navy AGM-88 high speed anti-radiation missile (HARM) system, is a US and Italian international cooperative acquisition Category I major acquisition program. The US Navy is the executive agent for the program.
ATK employs more than 17,000 employees in 21 states and has approximately $4.6 billion in revenue.