Raytheon’s Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) is a leading defense weapon for high and low interception, increased range, and protection against anti-ship missiles. Through a USD$109,583,490 contract, the SM-2 missiles will primarily be built at Raytheon’s Camden location. Other plants include Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Maryland, Oregon, Arizona, and Florida. The Navy hopes to expand from five ships to more than thirty-five ships equipped with Raytheon’s missile technology. A spokesperson from the Navy stated, “This effort is steeped in fleet requirements, focusing on delivering capability to support urgent operational needs in targeted areas of responsibility.”
Comtech EF Data Corp has received a USD$6.4 million contract extension from Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) for adaptive coding capability.
Austal USA shipyard recently conducted a keel laying ceremony for the future USS Omaha, the sixth Independence-variant littoral combat ship (LCS).
On February 22, 2015, the US Navy conducted its 155th successful test flight of two unarmed Lockheed Martin-built Trident II D5 Fleet ballistic missiles. The first test flight of a Trident missile took place in 1989. The 155th successful test flight marks over 25 years of reliability which is unmatched by any other ballistic missile. The missile was launched from a submerged Ohio-class submarine in the Pacific Ocean. The test flight demonstrates the missile’s reliability and the readiness of the Trident Strategic Weapon System.
In February of 2015, the Boeing Company received a contract from the United States Navy for developing a beam control system for laser weapons. Worth USD$29.5 million, the contract is part of the Office of Naval Research (ONR)’s Solid State Laser Technology Maturation program (SSL TM). Established in 2012, the program researches the weaponization potential of laser technology on-board naval ships.
