Raytheon awarded Tomahawk contract

Raytheon has been awarded a $346 million contract increment to supply the US and United Kingdom navies with the Block IV (Tactical) Tomahawk cruise missile. This is the third instalment on a multi-year contract whose value could reach $1.6 billion.

The fiscal year 2006 production contract calls for production of 473 missiles, 65 of which are the submarine torpedo tube-launched variant for the UK.

Manufacturing work will be done at Raytheon's Missile Systems businesses in Tucson, Arizona, and Camden, Arkansas, and is expected to be completed in 2009.

The new capabilities that Block IV Tomahawk brings to the Navy's sea strike capability are derived from the missile's two-way satellite data link that enables the missile to respond to changing battlefield conditions.

The strike controller can "flex" the missile in flight to pre-programmed alternate targets or redirect it to a new target. This targeting flexibility includes the capability to loiter over the battlefield awaiting a more critical target.