AGM-88E AARGM Missile: No Place To Hide Down There

AARGM on EA-18G

Sept 25/13: FRP-2. ATK Defense Electronic Systems in Woodland Hills, CA receives a $102.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for AARGM Full Rate Production Lot II. They’ll convert Raytheon’s AGM-88B HARM missiles to AGM-88E all-up-round operational missiles and captive air training missiles (CATMs) for the US Navy (97/ $80.3M/ 78%) and the Government of Italy (15/ $12.8M/ 13%), plus related supplies and services. As an export sale, They’ll also convert AGM-88B HARM missiles to AGM-88E AARGM CATMs for the Government of Australia (8/ $9.3M/ 9%), and provide related supplies and services.

All funds are committed immediately. Work will be performed in Northridge, CA (90%); Fusaro, Italy (8%); and Ridgecrest, CA (2%), and is expected to be complete in December 2015. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD, is the contracting activity (N00019-13-C-0162).

Aug 5/13: #100. A ceremony Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, CA marks the 100th AARGM missile delivery. Sources: US NAVAIR, Aug 8/13 release.

May 31/13: Australia. The US Navy signs an agreement with the Australian Government to provide training related to Raytheon’s AGM-88 HARM (High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile) and ATK’s AGM-88E AARGM (Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile), as part of the RAAF’s EA-18G Growler buy. They’ll be able to support whichever missile the RAAF chooses, though AARGM seems to be the target.

While it’s just a training capability, its the 1st Foreign Military Sales agreement with any country regarding AARGM. Italy is something else: a co-development partner. Sources: US NAVAIR, June 18/13 release.