Raytheon Missiles and Defense, Tucson, Arizona, is awarded a $130,019,155 firm-fixed-price modification to previously-awarded contract to exercise options for fiscal 2021 for the Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2/2A Guided Missile Round Pack, spare replacement components and recertification. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. government (66%); and the governments of Japan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates (34% combined) under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work is expected to be completed by March 2024. Fiscal 2021 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $84,339,000 (65%); FMS Japan funds in the amount of $41,874,000 (32%); Fiscal 2021 operation and maintenance (Navy) funds in the amount of $1,815,763 (1%); FMS United Arab Emirates funds in the amount of $1,743,369 (1%); and FMS Turkey funds in the amount of $247,023 (1%), will be obligated at the time of award. The U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is a small, lightweight, infrared homing surface-to-air missile in use by the German, Japanese, Greek, Turkish, South Korean, Saudi Arabian, Egyptian, Mexican and U.S. Navies. It was intended originally and used primarily as a point-defense weapon against anti-ship cruise missiles. The RAM weapon system is an international cooperative program between the United States and Germany. Development, production and maintenance costs are shared among Raytheon Missiles & Defense and the German companies LFK, DBD and RAMSYS. Licensed production of the RAM system’s GMRP is also underway in Korea. In 2018, Raytheon Missiles & Defense delivered a RAM launcher to the Mexican Navy as part of the long-range, off-shore patrol vessel (Patrulla Oceánica de Largo Alcance, or POLA) program. It was the first delivery of a RAM product to a Latin American country.
The RAM Block 2 is an upgraded version of the RAM missile aimed at more effectively countering more maneuverable antiship missiles through a four-axis independent control actuator system, increased rocket motor capability, an improved passive radio frequency seeker and upgraded components of the infrared seeker, and advanced kinematics. On 8 May 2007, the US Navy awarded Raytheon Missile Systems a $105 million development contract; development was expected to be completed by December 2010. LRIP began in 2012. 51 missiles were initially ordered. On 22 October 2012, the RAM Block 2 completed its third guided test vehicle flight, firing two missiles in a salvo and directly hitting the target, to verify the system’s command and control capabilities, kinematic performance, guidance system, and airframe capabilities. Raytheon was scheduled to deliver 25 Block 2 missiles during the program’s integrated testing phase.
The MK 44 guided missile round pack and the MK 49 guided missile launching system, which hold 21 missiles, comprise the MK 31 guided missile weapon system. The system is designed to be easily integrated into many different ships. A variety of existing ship sensors can readily provide the target and pointing information required to engage the anti-ship threat. The MK 44 missile is also used in the SeaRAM® anti-ship missile defense system, replacing the M601A1 Gatling gun in the Phalanx® close-in weapon system with an 11-round launcher. The Phalanx system’s sensor suite and internal combat management system reduces dependency on the ship’s combat system and enables a fast reaction to stressing anti-ship missiles. The RAM Block 2 missile has been successfully fired from a SeaRAM system.
