Lockheed Martin awarded contract to procure more MK41 VLS.

According to information published by Lockheed Martin on July 20, 2021, the company is awarded a $231,400,000 firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-5310 to definitize the initial award, and procure an additional 70 MK41 Vertical Launching System modules and ancillary equipment for DDG 51-class destroyers and FFG 62-class frigates.
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MK41 Vertical Launching System (Picture source: Sea Forces)

This contract modification combines purchases for the U.S. government (80%); the Commonwealth of Australia (13%); and Spain (7%) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Baltimore, Maryland (46%); Indianapolis, Indiana (27%) Fort Walton Beach, Florida (15%); Farmingdale, New York (5%); Saginaw, Michigan (3%); Waverly, Iowa (2%); Thomaston, Connecticut (1%); and St. Peters, Missouri (1%), and is expected to be completed by July 2025.

Fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $91,645,715 (40%); fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $91,645,715 (40%); FMS Australia funds in the amount of $30,691,427 (13%); and FMS Spain funds in the amount of $17,417,143 (7%) will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

The Mk 41 Vertical Launching System / VLS is a modular, below deck, canister missile launching system that was originally designed for the Navy’s Aegis-equipped guided missile cruisers to provide air threat protection for naval battle groups. The Mk 41 VLS is a multi-missile, multi-mission launcher, capable of launching SM-2, SM-3, SM-6, ESSM, Tomahawk, and Vertical Launch ASROC missiles.

MK 41 is built to store and launch ballistic and long-range strike weapons such as the Tomahawk missile, the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile system and the Vertical Launch Anti-Submarine Rocket.