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Naval
Forces News - USA |
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Boeing
Receives US Navy Contracts for SLAM ER and Harpoon Missiles |
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Boeing
on June 29 received a firm-fixed-price contract from U.S. Naval Air
Systems Command for the production of nearly 90 Harpoon Block II missiles
and associated hardware for the U.S. and four foreign militaries. The
$145.1 million contract also includes exercise and test variants of
the Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM ER). The first
missile deliveries are scheduled for this August and contract work is
expected to run through December 2013.
Boeing received two related weapons contracts from the Navy in May:
One procured Harpoon and SLAM ER weapons system components for the U.S.
and also supported foreign military sales for 12 countries. The other
was for Advanced Harpoon Weapons Control software integration for one
of the international customers. |
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The guided-missile
cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) fires a Harpoon anti-ship missile during
the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) maritime exercise.
(Picture: US Navy)
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"After four decades of
cooperation with our Navy partners, Boeing continues to find innovative
ways to incorporate system upgrades to enhance Harpoon's reach and interoperability,"
said Debbie Rub, vice president and general manager for Boeing Missiles
and Unmanned Airborne Systems. "This contract allows us to further
partner with the Navy to enhance the capabilities of Harpoon and SLAM
ER to quickly and affordably meet the evolving needs of warfighters around
the globe." |
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AGM-84K SLAM-ER
(Picture: Boeing)
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Harpoon Block II missiles feature
autonomous, all-weather, over-the-horizon capability and can execute missions
against sea and land targets, including coastal defense sites, surface-to-air
missile sites, exposed aircraft, port or industrial facilities, and ships
in port. More than 600 ships, 180 submarines, 12 different types of aircraft
and land-based launch vehicles carry Harpoon missiles. Boeing has delivered
more than 7,300 Harpoon and Harpoon Block II missiles to the U.S. Navy
and more than 30 international military customers since the inaugural
Harpoon contract was awarded by Naval Air Systems Command on June 21,
1971.
SLAM ER, a derivative of Harpoon, is an air-dropped surgical strike weapon
against high-value land targets or ships at sea or in port. A highly accurate
man-in-the-loop cruise missile, SLAM ER can be launched from a range of
more than 150 nautical miles and is reprogrammable in flight. |