ATK has been awarded a $102 million contract by the US Navy for the second full-rate production lot of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM).
“The award of FRP 2 [full-rate production lot two] is a significant milestone not only for the quantity of missiles to be produced and delivered, but also because it marks the beginning of AARGM deliveries to international customers through the Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) process," says Bill Kasting, vice-president and general manager of ATK's defence electronic systems division.
The contract covers the production of both live and captive carry training rounds for the USN and Italian air force. It also includes training missiles for the Royal Australian Air Force, which will be used on the nation’s future fleet of Boeing EA-18G Growlers. Australia is technically the first FMS deal for the AARGM, because Italy was a partner in the missile’s development programme.
The AARGM is currently fielded with USN and US Marine Corps Boeing F/A-18C/D Hornet squadrons after it was declared operational in July 2012. Full-rate production started in August of the same year.
The weapon is currently being integrated on the EA-18G, F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Panavia Tornado ECR. According to ATK, the missile is also compatible with the Lockheed Martin F-35, Northrop Grumman Grumman EA-6B and the Lockheed F-16.
Source: Flight International
