The Navy has completed the first series of developmental and operational testing of a ship-defense missile system made by Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems.
In at-sea testing of Raytheon’s Rolling Airframe Missile Block 2, the system's missiles engaged two targets in “tactical dual-salvo scenarios” designed to demonstrate the advanced missile's defensive capabilities. The missiles “successfully engaged high-speed, maneuvering and sub-sonic, maneuvering targets,” with all four missiles meeting test objectives, Raytheon said in a news release.
Raytheon and its manufacturing partner, RAMSYS of Germany, were awarded the second U.S. Navy RAM Block 2 low-rate production contract for 61 missiles in December 2012. The company received a $155.6 million Block 2 production contract for the German navy earlier this year.
RAM is a supersonic “fire-and-forget” missile providing defense against anti-ship cruise missiles, helicopter and airborne threats, and hostile surface craft, with autonomous radio-frequency and infrared guidance to engage multiple threats simultaneously.
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The RAM Block 2 upgrade includes an improved flight-control system and rocket motor, increasing the missile’s effective range and delivering a significant increase in maneuverability.
RAM is installed, or planned for installation, aboard more than 165 ships in the U.S. Navy and in the navies of Egypt, Germany, Greece, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
In other Raytheon news, the company said it has booked a $106 million contract for its Paveway II bomb guidance kits for an undisclosed international customer. The contract includes Paveway kits for 500-pound and 250-pound bombs.