ATK's AARGM earns third full-rate production award from US Navy

Arlington, Virginia – ATK, a manufacturer of precision-guided weapons, missile products, and rocket motors, has been awarded a contract valued at $96.2 million by the U.S. Navy for the third full-rate production lot of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM). The contract covers AARGM and Captive Air Training Missiles for the U.S. Navy and Italian Air Force.

 

"AARGM continues to provide significant advanced capabilities to those who protect our nation each and every day," said Bill Kasting, vice president and general manager of ATK's Defense Electronic Systems division. "We look forward to continuing to provide this critical weapons system on schedule and on budget to the U.S. Navy and our allies." 

 

AARGM is a supersonic, air-launched tactical missile system, upgrading legacy AGM-88 HARM systems with advanced capability to perform Destruction of Enemy Air Defense missions. AARGM provides the most advanced system for pilots, with in-cockpit, real-time electronic order of battle situational awareness against today's modern surface-to-air threats. It is able to rapidly engage traditional and advanced land- and sea-based air-defense threats, as well as non-radar, time-sensitive strike targets.

 

AARGM is currently deployed with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. AARGM achieved initial operational capability in July 2012 and was approved by the Navy for full rate production in September 2012. AARGM is a U.S. Navy and Italian Air Force international cooperative major acquisition program with the U.S. Navy as the executive agent. AARGM is currently deployed on U.S. FA-18C/D Hornet aircraft and is being integrated for use on the U.S. Navy's EA-18G Growler and FA-18 E/F Super Hornet aircraft, as well as the Italian Air Force's Tornado ECR aircraft. The missile is also compatible with the F-35, EA-6B, allied FA-18, and U.S. and allied F-16.