The U.S. Department of Defense and the Air Force has awarded a modification to contract FA8675-21-C-0034 worth more than $482 million to Raytheon Missiles and Defense (Tucson, AZ) for Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) production lot 35. Finances are based on a combination of funds from the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Air National Guard, and other defense-related sources. The funding covers AMRAAM extended-range (AMRAAM-ER) missiles, AMRAAM telemetry systems, and production engineering support. Standard AMRAAM missiles are launched from high-speed aircraft. AMRAAM-ER missiles are ground-launched weapons with optimized flight algorithms and larger rocket motors than standard AMRAAM missiles for longer range. Work on AMRAAM missile production will be performed in Tucson with expected completion by the end of May 2024. The contract includes foreign military sales to Canada, Hungary, Korea, Netherlands, and Qatar for 28% of the contract value.
AMRAAM features a lightweight package that combines inertial guidance, midcourse updates, and an on-board active radar to find a target. It is procured by the U.S. and 40 additional countries and has been integrated into a wide range of weapons systems, including on the F-15A/B/C/D/E Eagle/Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F/A-18 Super Hornet, F-22 Raptor, Eurofighter Typhoon, and JAS-39 Gripen. AMRAAAM is the only radar-guided, air-to-air missile cleared for use on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). The AMRAAM-ER version is also a baseline weapon on the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) owned by 12 countries.