Raytheon wins fresh contract to build hundreds more Sidewinder missiles for US, foreign militaries
Raytheon’s Tucson-based Missiles & Defense division will be building hundreds of new Sidewinder aircraft missiles under a $263.72 million contract modification, one of several recent deals the company has landed in recent weeks.
The AIM-9X Sidewinder missile is a joint project of the U.S. Navy and Air Force, and Raytheon has been a part of it for more than two decades. This contract modification calls for Raytheon (NYSE: RTX) to build 571 of the rockets for the U.S. Air Force and Navy as well as for foreign military customers. Work is expected to be finished in August 2026.
The Navy will receive 91 of the Sidewinders, while the Air Force will receive 257 and foreign customers will receive 223. Those foreign customers were not identified.
Raytheon describes the AIM-9X Sidewinder as a “triple-threat” missile that can be used on several different aircraft and can be used for air-to-air, surface-attack and surface-launch missions without modification. The new orders are for the Block II variant, which Raytheon says has improvements for handling and safety and electronics updates.
In addition to the tactical missiles, the contract modification also calls for delivery of 48 training missiles, and a large amount of support equipment such as containers, target detectors, guidance units and more.
Other deals:
Besides the Sidewinder deal, Raytheon Missiles & Defense has also received the following contracts in recent weeks:
- Raytheon was awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract of up to $621,400,000 to maintain the equipment, facilities, and personnel for upgrades, repairs and other work on Exo-atmospheric Kill Vehicles that are designed to protect the U.S. from long-range ballistic missiles. The contract with the Missile Defense Agency lasts through May 2028.
- Raytheon was awarded a $10,052,688 contract with the Air Force for support services for the High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missile targeting system, including repairs. Work will be performed in Tucson and is expected to be finished by Nov. 30 of this year.
- Raytheon was awarded a $15,988,766 fee modification option on an earlier Navy contract for Standard Missile-2 Block IIIC low rate initial production. Work is expected to be completed by December 2024.
- Raytheon was awarded an $88.68 million modification to a previously awarded Missile Defense Agency prototype agreement, allowing the defense contractor to continue to develop and refine its Glide Phase Intercept (GPI) concept. The Glide Phase Interceptor project is a joint effort between Raytheon and Northrop Grumman. The two companies won enhanced contracts for that work in the summer of 2022, and a contract modification this past spring. The modification brings the total value of the initial agreement with Raytheon to $241.49 million.