$223M to Supply NATO ESSM Consortium

RIM-162 ESSM launch(click to view full) Raytheon Company in Tucson, AZ received a $223 million firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-07-C-5431) to procure 294 Evolved SEASPARROW Missiles (RIM-162 ESSM), 68 shipping containers, and spares for the NATO SEASPARROW Consortium (Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, USA). Work will be performed in Tucson, AZ (45%); Andover, MA (10%); Camden, AK (2%); Australia (11%); Germany (8%); Canada (7%); The Netherlands (6%); Norway (5%); Spain (3%); Denmark (1%); Greece (1%); Turkey (1%), and is expected to be complete by February 2010. The contract was not competitively procured by the US Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington, DC. The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) is used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft, and is is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. Compared to the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow, ESSM has a larger, more powerful rocket motor for increased range, a different aerodynamic layout for improved agility, and the latest missile guidance technology. ESSM also has the ability to be “quad-packed” in the Mk 41 vertical launching system, allowing 4 missiles to be carried per launch cell.