Raytheon wins contract worth up to $1.68B to work on new class of Navy destroyers

Raytheon Technologies Corp.’s Tucson-based missiles and defense division has been awarded a massive contract with the U.S. Navy to bring three new destroyers into service.

Under the contract — which at base is for $483 million but includes options that can increase its value to $1.68 billion — Raytheon will provide services and professionals to activate the three Zumwalt-class destroyers and introduce them into the fleet.

For Raytheon, the contract demonstrates the company’s capacity to do more than provide equipment and technology.

“This contract underscores our role as a systems integrator, which goes beyond offering customers weapons and radars,” Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon Missiles & Defense, said in a statement. “Our team provides Zumwalt destroyers extensive support, from engineering and cyber protection to software development and upgrades.”

The Zumwalt-class destroyers achieved initial operational capability in December and are expected to join the Navy’s fleet later this year with the employment of the USS Zumwalt.

Raytheon described the class of vessels, known as the DDG 1000, as having advanced capabilities that dramatically reduce manning requirements. The ships feature a total ship computing environment that is a single, encrypted network controlling all shipboard computing applications.

They are built in a modular design that packages individual electronics cabinets into ready to install units that can be more easily maintained and upgraded. Each ship has 16 of these units, Raytheon said.

They also include two sonar arrays in a hull-mounted system designed to protect the ship from underwater threats such as mines, submarines and torpedoes. And they include a launching system designed to fire missiles for sea, land and air attacks. The launching system is designed so that it can be quickly transitioned to new missile systems.

Raytheon said its work on the project will include design, integration, testing and evaluations, system upgrades and replacements, logistics, product development, configuration management and training systems.

The main work in the contract is expected to be finished by April 2023, and if all the options are exercised, work will continue through April 2027.