The US Department of Defense has awarded Raytheon a US$2.134 billion modification to a previously awarded contract, increasing the value of the contract is increased from US$1.198 billion to US$3.332 billion.
Under this modification, the contractor will provide the management, material, and services associated with the sustaining engineering and product support services of the RIM-161 block missile variants for the US and foreign military sales partners.
The performance period is from October 30, 2020, through October 29, 2029. The Missile Defense Agency in Huntsville, Alabama, is the contracting activity.
The RIM-161 interceptor missile is a defensive weapon the US Navy uses to destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
The missile uses kinetic energy, rather than an explosive warhead, to destroy its target, according to a description of the weapon on the Raytheon website.
The RIM-161 can be launched from ships offshore as well as from land-based sites.
Raytheon said the missile is being carried by US Navy ships deployed off Europe's coast and is now operational at a land-based site in Romania, further enhancing Europe’s protection.