ATK's
AARGM Anti-Radiation Missile Earns Second Full-Rate Production Award from
U.S. Navy
ATK,
a world leader in ammunition, precision guided weapons and rocket motors,
has been awarded a contract valued at $102.4 million by the U.S. Navy
for the second full-rate production lot (FRP 2) of the Advanced Anti-Radiation
Guided Missile (AARGM). The contract covers AARGM and Captive Air Training
Missiles (CATMs) for the U.S. Navy, Italian Air Force and CATMs for
the Royal Australian Air Force.
The AARGM is test fired from an F/A-18D at China Lake, Calif. in June
2012.
(U.S. Navy photo)
AARGM is a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile
system, upgrading legacy AGM-88 HARM systems with advanced capability
to perform Destruction of Enemy Air Defense missions. AARGM provides
the most advanced system for pilots, with in-cockpit, real-time electronic
order of battle situational awareness against today's modern surface-to-air
threats. It is able to rapidly engage traditional and advanced land-
and sea-based air-defense threats, as well as non-radar, time-sensitive
strike targets.
"The award of FRP 2 is a significant milestone not only for the
quantity of missiles to be produced and delivered but also because it
marks the beginning of AARGM deliveries to international customers through
the Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales process," said
Bill Kasting, vice president and general manager of ATK's Defense Electronic
Systems division. "We are proud to provide this critical capability
and look forward to continuing delivery of AARGM on schedule and on
budget to the U.S. Navy and our allies."
(U.S. Navy video)
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) submitted a
signed Letter of Offer and Acceptance to the U.S. Government for the
first Foreign Military Sales procurement of AARGM. The CATMs will be
used for training purposes as the RAAF takes delivery of the EA-18G
Growler aircraft. Production of Italian Air Force missiles continues
under this contract as part of the U.S.-Italy joint international cooperative
program.
AARGM is a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile system, upgrading
legacy AGM-88 High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile systems with advanced
capability to perform Destruction of Enemy Air Defense missions. AARGM
is able to rapidly engage traditional and advanced land- and sea-based
air-defense threats, as well as non-radar time-sensitive strike targets.
Leveraging a digital receiver set, global positioning system/inertial
navigation system guidance, digital terrain data base and the game-changing
millimeter wave terminal guidance seeker, AARGM provides the most advanced
system that can also provide pilots with in-cockpit, real-time electronic
order of battle situational awareness against today's modern surface-to-air
threats.
AARGM is a U.S. Navy and Italian Air Force international cooperative
major acquisition program with the U.S. Navy as the executive agent.
AARGM is currently deployed on U.S. FA-18C/D Hornet aircraft, and is
being integrated for use on the U.S. Navy's EA-18G Growler and FA-18
E/F Super Hornet aircraft, as well as the Italian Air Force's Tornado
ECR aircraft. The missile is also compatible with the F-35, EA-6B, allied
FA-18s, and U.S. and allied F-16s.