Orbital ATK, a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies, has been awarded a contract worth as much as $350 million from the U.S. Navy to continue full-rate production (FRP) of the AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM).
With an initial award of $157 million for FRP Lot 6 U.S. Navy missiles, this contract will deliver advanced capability to our warfighters. The contract also includes an option for FRP Lot 7 missiles. The contract covers all-up round missiles and captive air training missiles for the U.S. Navy, Italian Air Force and other allies through Foreign Military Sales orders. AARGM provides the U.S. Navy and our allies with critical mission capabilities to counter the accelerating proliferation of surface-to-air threats.
“Today’s battlefield is rapidly evolving and the number of threats emerging around the world continues to grow. AARGM is an affordable solution that provides advanced capabilities to those protecting our nation and allies each and every day,” said Cary Ralston, Vice President and General Manager of Orbital ATK’s Defense Electronic Systems Division of the company’s Defense Systems Group.
“AARGM’s game-changing technology is vital to the warfighter’s success and equips pilots with the most advanced solution to detect and defeat surface-to-air-threats,” he added.
AARGM is a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile system, upgrading legacy AGM-88 HARM systems with advanced capability to perform destruction of enemy air defenses. AARGM is the most advanced system for pilots, with in-cockpit, real-time electronic order- of-battle situational awareness against today’s modern surface-to-air threats. It is able to rapidly engage traditional and non-traditional advanced land- and sea-based air-defense threats, as well as striking time-sensitive targets.
AARGM is a U.S. Navy and Italian Air Force international cooperative major acquisition program with the U.S. Navy as the executive agent. AARGM is currently deployed and supporting operational requirements for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. The missile is integrated into the weapons systems on the FA-18C/D Hornet, FA-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft. AARGM is anticipated to achieve Initial Operational Capability on the Italian Air Force’s Tornado ECR aircraft in 2018.
Orbital ATK’s Defense Systems Group is an industry leader in providing innovative and affordable precision and strike weapons, advanced propulsion and hypersonics, missile components across air-, sea- and land-based systems, ammunition and related energetic products.
Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies. The company designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation systems for customers around the world, both as a prime contractor and merchant supplier. Its main products include launch vehicles and related propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition; satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced aerospace structures.
Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Orbital ATK employs approximately 13,000 people across the U.S. and in several international locations.
