Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC
Raytheon is to develop the Complementary Low Altitude Weapon System (CLAWS) for the US Marine Corps as a beyond visual range defence against tactical aircraft, cruise missiles, unmanned air vehicles and other air threats. Raytheon was competing against Boeing for the contract.
CLAWS comprises "Humvee" High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle-mounted Raytheon AIM-120 AMRAAMs, and fills the gap between Raytheon's FIM-92 Stinger-based Avenger short-range air-defence system and the in-development long-range Lockheed Martin Patriot Advanced Capability-3 and Medium Extended Air Defence system.
Raytheon has been awarded $9.5 million for a two-year pre-production and development programme, including the manufacture of two production "representative" CLAWS units for two-month field trials. The USMC is to acquire up to 95 CLAWS units with initial fielding scheduled for 2004-5.
Raytheon's surface-launched AMRAAM systems programme manager John Ryan says the US Army, which is monitoring the project but yet to write a CLAWS requirement, could buy more than 400 units.
Raytheon has built a four-missile CLAWS prototype, having developed and tested the five-missile, Humvee-mounted "HUMRAAM" with the US Army. Boeing has tested a company-developed CLAWS/HUMRAAM demonstrator mounting four AMRAAMs.
Raytheon has developed a series of ground-launched air-defence systems based on AMRAAM, including the Norwegian Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) using canister-launched missiles. Spain is about to procure a similar system. CLAWS and NASAMS share the same missile interface electronics.
Norway's Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace will provide the fire control software and General Dynamics Armament Systems is responsible for the launcher.
Raytheon predicts further foreign military sales of surface-launched AMRAAM systems as 20 nations operate the ageing Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk. These air defence systems are likely to be retired in around 2010 when the US Government ceases to support Hawk.
Source: Flight International
