Raytheon will produce ESSM Block 2 multimission weapons for U.S. Navy and alllies
NewsOctober 02, 2024
TUCSON, Ariz. Raytheon (an RTX business) announced that it won a $525 million contract from the U.S. Navy to produce ESSM Block 2 missiles and spares -- a short- to medium-range ship-launched, dual-mode, guided missile -- for the U.S. and its allies.
In its award announcement, RTX says that the ESSM Block 2 is using common hardware and factory processes across multiple missile platforms to enable cost savings and increased production capacity. It describes the new ESSM variant as reducing dependence on shipboard illumination, having the ability to integrate with a wide variety of combat systems and launchers, delivering improved performance in adverse marine environments, and possessing enough digital processing margin to keep pace with evolving threats via software improvements.
RTX notes that ESSM is managed by the NATO SEASPARROW Consortium, which is made up of 12 nations: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Türkiye, and the U.S. RTX says that the consortium continues to invest in test infrastructure and material to keep capacity ahead of demand and accelerate deliveries.
