Raytheon awarded Phalanx upgrade contract

The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon a $136.2 million contract for federal FY13 to remanufacture, overhaul and upgrade 19 Phalanx Close-in Weapon Systems and produce four SeaRAM Anti-ship Missile Defense Systems.

This contract includes a $94.8 million option for FY14 covering an additional 12 Phalanx and four SeaRAM systems. The option, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of the contract to $231 million.

"Phalanx is a vital ship self-defense system, providing the critical inner-layer of protection to sailors, Marines and ships," said Rick Nelson, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems' Naval and Area Mission Defense product line.

"With SeaRAM comes a significant extension of that inner-layer battlespace and the capacity to effectively engage multiple high-performance threats. Raytheon's ability to remanufacture Phalanx equivalent to new manufacture condition -- in appearance, operation and performance -- provides a significant cost savings to our customers."

Close-in Defense Solutions
Phalanx is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled radar and 20 mm gun system that automatically acquires, tracks and destroys enemy threats that have penetrated all other ship defense systems. More than 890 systems have been built and deployed in the navies of 25 nations.

Intended to enlarge Phalanx's keep-out range against evolving anti-ship missiles, rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft and other threats, SeaRAM uses advanced Phalanx Block 1B sensors and replaces the gun with an 11-round Rolling Airframe Missile guide. SeaRAM is aboard the USS Independence (LCS 2) and USS Coronado (LCS 4).