AF Awards New Long-Range Missile System Contract> Eglin Air Base> Post Display

KIRTLAND AIR BASE, NM –

The Air Force today announced the award of an engineering and manufacturing development contract for its long-range weapon to Raytheon Missiles and Defense.

The contract is approximately $ 2 billion and a sole source acquisition. The work will be carried out in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed in February 2027.

The LRSO replaces the aging AGM-86B air-launched cruise missile. The ALCM was put into service in the early 1980s with a lifespan of 10 years. The aging ALCM will continue to face increasingly significant operational challenges against emerging threats of area anti-access / denial until it is replaced.

The Air Force determined that Raytheon offered the best overall value to the fighter and taxpayers based on the evaluation factors of the selection process.

The contract is at cost plus a fixed fee, with performance incentives, for a performance period of 66 months. Upon successful completion of the EMD contract, the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center will integrate EMD data to inform weapons production negotiations.

The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center is the lead in the Air Force LRSO acquisition effort.

“The LRSO program office has capitalized on a pioneering approach to reliability and manufacturing to establish a high performance and mature design during the technology maturation and risk reduction phase,” said Major General Anthony W Genatempo, AFNWC Commander and Air Force Program Manager for Strategic Systems. “The team continued this approach with their EMD strategy to provide the best overall value to the combatant and taxpayers, while meeting the nation’s deterrence needs going forward.”

“The LRSO team has worked for nearly three years to ensure that the Air Force obtains a stable cruise missile design that meets the country’s requirements for credible aerial nuclear deterrence for many. years to come, ”said Elizabeth T. Thorn, LRSO Program Manager. “The award of the EMD contract marks our next step in finalizing development, fully maturing our manufacturing techniques and proving that LRSO meets its operational requirements. “

The LRSO program office is part of the AFNWC Air Delivery Capabilities Directorate in Eglin AFB, Florida. The center is responsible for synchronizing all aspects of nuclear materiel management on behalf of Air Force Materiel Command in direct support of Air Force Global Strike Command.