Raytheon Awarded Tomahawk Block IV Full-Rate Production Contract

Aug 19, 2004, 04:22  

TUCSON: Raytheon Company has been awarded $287 million in Fiscal Year 2004 as part of a full-rate production contract to supply the U.S. Navy with the next-generation Block IV Tomahawk cruise missile.

The Navy and Raytheon have entered into a multi-year procurement contract to replenish the Tomahawk inventory. The value of this contract could reach $1.6 billion once all of the procurement orders are placed over the next five years.

Work is expected to be completed on this initial missile order by December 2006. Work will be done at Raytheon's Missile Systems businesses in Tucson, Ariz., and Camden, Ark. The first low-rate production Block IV missiles were delivered to the Navy in May.

"The Navy-Raytheon team is very honored and excited to provide the warfighter the Block IV Tomahawk missile. This revolutionary weapon, with its flexible targeting and loitering capabilities builds on the tremendous 32-year tradition and success of the legacy Tomahawk program," said Navy Capt. Bob Novak, Tomahawk All-Up-Round program manager. "The Navy's first weapons multi- year contract ensures that the fleet will get the best possible cruise missile at the best price."

"Reaching this full-rate production milestone is a testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone who was part of the design, development, testing and now, production, of this next-generation system," said Louise L. Francesconi, Raytheon Missile Systems president. "This new Block IV missile is the result of the collective commitment of the Navy and Raytheon to provide affordable, operational capabilities for critical long-range, precision strike missions. This multi-year full-rate production contract confirms the Navy's -- and Raytheon's -- commitment to deliver this needed capability to the warfighter."

Block IV Tomahawk will be the centerpiece of the Navy's new Tomahawk Baseline IV Weapons System. The system integrates the Block IV missile with improved mission planning and platform weapons control capabilities. This latest version of the Navy's surface- and submarine-launched precision strike standoff weapon incorporates innovative technologies to provide unprecedented operational capabilities while dramatically reducing acquisition, operations and support costs. The Block IV missile will have a 15-year warranty and recertification cycle, compared to the Block III variant's eight-year recertification cycle.

The new capabilities that Block IV Tomahawk brings to the Navy's sea strike capability are derived from the missile's two-way satellite data link that enables the missile to respond to changing battlefield conditions. The strike controller can "flex" the missile in flight to preprogrammed alternate targets or redirect it to a new target. This targeting flexibility includes the capability to loiter over the battlefield awaiting a more critical target. The missile can also transmit battle damage indication imagery and missile health and status messages via the satellite data link. For the first time, firing platforms will have the capability to plan and execute Global Positioning System-only missions. Block IV will also introduce an improved anti-jam GPS receiver for enhanced mission performance.

The Navy and Raytheon are entering into a five-year procurement contract to replenish Tomahawk inventory at the most affordable cost. The legacy program Tomahawk missile is the Navy's weapon of choice for critical, long- range precision strike missions against high value, heavily defended targets. The Block IV costs about half the price of a newly built Block III missile.

Raytheon Company, with 2003 sales of $18.1 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 78,000 people worldwide.





Raytheon wins $1.6B defense contract

Company tapped to produce 2,200 new Tomahawk missiles; contract will run through fiscal 2008.
August 19, 2004: 8:09 AM EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Raytheon Co. was awarded a contract worth as much as $1.6 billion for full-rate production of about 2,200 Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles, the company and the Department of Defense said Wednesday.

The newest version of the Tactical Tomahawk carries a two-way data link that will allow the missile to be redirected after its launch, and it can also be programmed to loiter. In addition, the purchaser will have up to 15 years to bring the missile back to the factory for a check-up, almost double the eight-year warranty on the earlier Block 3 missiles.

Block 4 missiles cost about half a newly built Block 3 missile, according to Raytheon spokesman Alan Fischer, though he said the per-unit cost was not publicly available.

Raytheon (RTN: Research, Estimates) said the contract was worth $287 million in fiscal 2004. The contract extends through fiscal 2008, according to the Pentagon.

The Navy used more than 800 of Waltham, Mass.-based Raytheon's older Tomahawk missiles during the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. The new missile also includes equipment designed to make it more difficult to jam its Global Positioning System satellite links.

About 2,135 missiles are earmarked for the U.S. Navy, while the United Kingdom is due to receive about 65.
Only 65?

Work will be performed in Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be completed in June 2011,

Last I heard we ran out during OIF.