Division of Protection introduced a $3.5 billion award to Raytheon for AMRAAM missiles: it’s the most important contract in program historical past.
On Jul. 31, 2025, the DOD introduced that Raytheon was awarded a $3.5B contract for the most recent manufacturing a number of the AIM-120 AMRAAM (Superior Medium Vary Air-to-Air Missiles) which is the most important contract in program historical past.
This award comes lower than a yr after Raytheon obtained a $1.2 billion manufacturing contract for the combat-proven weapon, and entails Overseas Navy Gross sales to a number of allied international locations, together with Israel, Japan, Canada, Germany, the UK and Ukraine.
Listed below are the small print of the contract launched by the DoD:
Raytheon, Division of Raytheon Applied sciences Corp., Tucson, Arizona, was awarded a not-to-exceed $3,500,000,000 firm-fixed-price incentive, undefinitized contract motion for Superior Medium Vary Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) Manufacturing Heaps 39 and 40. This contract offers for the manufacturing of AMRAAM missiles, AMRAAM Telemetry System, preliminary and discipline spares, and different manufacturing engineering help actions.
This contract entails Overseas Navy Gross sales (FMS) to: Denmark, Belgium, Japan, Netherlands, Canada, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Spain, Poland, Sweden, Taiwan, Lithuania, the UK, Australia, Switzerland, Ukraine, Isreal, and Kuwait. Work might be carried out in Tucson, Arizona, and is predicted to be accomplished within the third quarter of fiscal 2031.
This contract was a sole supply acquisition. Fiscal 2024 Navy weapons procurement funds within the quantity of $113,000,000; fiscal 2025 Navy weapons procurement funds within the quantity of $190,000,000; fiscal 2023 Air Power missile procurement funds within the quantity of $1,300,000; fiscal 2024 Air Power missile procurement funds within the quantity of $116,000,000; fiscal 2025 Air Power missile procurement funds within the quantity of $472,000,000; fiscal 2025 Air Power analysis, growth, take a look at and analysis funds within the quantity of $507,000; fiscal 2024 Air Power operation and upkeep funds within the quantity of $253,936; and FMS funds within the quantity of $621,000,000, are being obligated on the time of award.
The Air Power Life Cycle Administration Heart, Air Dominance Division Contracting Workplace, Eglin Air Power Base, Florida, is the contracting exercise. (FA8659-25-C-B003)
“As world conflicts intensify and air threats turn into extra subtle, AMRAAM continues to present allied forces a decisive edge in fight,” mentioned Sam Deneke, president of Air & House Protection Methods at Raytheon, mentioned in a press assertion. “This award underscores the essential function that the fifth-generation AMRAAM performs in sustaining air superiority and can guarantee service members have the superior expertise wanted to remain forward of adversary threats.”
AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 AMRAAM is among the world’s most superior and confirmed air-to-air missiles, with over 15 kills in fight environments, together with in Iraq, Bosnia, Kosovo, India, and Syria. AMRAAM has an all-weather, BVR (beyond-visual-range), multiple-launch fire-and-forget functionality, which permits pilots to launch the missile with out the necessity for handbook monitoring post-launch.
The weapon is suitable with a large number of plane (14 platforms in 44 international locations in response to Raytheon), together with the F-4, F-15, F-16 (of which a D mannequin achieved the primary ever AMRAAM kill in Iraq), F/A-18, F-22, F-35, AV-8B, Eurofighter Hurricane, JAS-39 Gripen, and Panavia Twister, amongst different plane, and is in service with greater than 40 nations worldwide.
Since its introduction, the AMRAAM has gone by steady upgrades, leading to a number of variants, from the unique A and B fashions to the extra superior C and D variations. Beginning with the AIM-120C-5, the missile obtained improved Excessive Off-Boresight (HOBs) functionality, enhancing each its maneuverability and the seeker’s discipline of view. The AIM-120C-8, included on this record-breaking contract, started flight testing in 2023.
Developed as a part of the Type, Match, Operate Refresh (F3R), the AIM-120C-8 incorporates up to date {hardware} and is designed to help future agile software program upgrades. In accordance with RTX, the F3R effort leveraged model-based methods engineering and different digital instruments to modernize key elements within the missile’s steerage part, together with circuit playing cards and processors, whereas rehosting legacy software program onto each the AIM-120D-3 and C-8 variants.
The C8 was initially meant because the export model of AMRAAM whereas the D3 remained unique to U.S. forces. Testing of the AIM-120C-8 started instantly after the D3’s take a look at marketing campaign wrapped up.
The AIM-120D builds upon the C collection with enhancements throughout the board, providing as much as 50% extra vary than the AIM-120C-7 (which entered service in 2008), improved kinematics, and refined steerage all through the flight envelope. It reached Preliminary Operational Functionality with U.S. forces in 2015.
As we reported intimately final yr, the AIM-120D3 variant might turn into a part of a excessive/low mixture of payloads carried by U.S. fighters along with the brand new and secretive AIM-260 JATM (Joint Superior Tactical Missile), the corporate’s vice chairman for necessities and capabilities John Norman advised reporters on Sep. 10, 2024.
