LOCKHEED MARTIN EARNS $3.2B CONTRACT FOR AGM-158C LRASM MISSILES
Making things that go “boom” is a literal science and while few companies can claim to be the real-life version of Stark Industries, Lockheed Martin is in the collective few that can. Earning yet another defense contract, the United States needs AGM-158C Long Range Anti-Ship Missiles (LRASM) and AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM), which will also help boost the defenses of our allies. Here’s what we know about the deal.
$3.2 Billion, Multiyear Contract for AGM-158C LRASM Production
$3.2 billion is what the US Air Force (USAF) is paying over multiple years for AGM-158C anti-ship and AGM-158B air-to-ground missiles. This is part of a larger initiative from The Pentagon to generate more weapons through multiyear deals at a time when the American Armed Forces continues to come under scrutiny for its lack of munitions. Not only are the missiles being made for the US military but there will be sales to American allies, including Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, and Poland. This buying approach isn’t new as The Pentagon has already used multiyear procurement on aircraft and ships. Now, it’s shifting toward munitions to counter China in an attempt to boost its own power by increasing the amount of missiles created each year. Both the AGM-158C LRASM and AGM-158B production runs will go through July 2032 with a cost of $3.5 billion for procurement and maintenance costs from the USAF, $176 million to buy the weapons from the Navy, and another $752 million from The Pentagon. The JASSM allows aircraft to hit targets on the ground without getting in range of enemy aircraft or anti-air defenses. Meanwhile, the LRASM can take out air defense targets up to 200 nautical miles at subsonic speeds, so that enemy ships can be taken out. Orlando, Florida will be responsible for creating the weapons, and potentially many such contracts for the defense industry as a whole.
Bolstering Our Australian Allies
In addition to the billions of dollars going towards creating more AGM-158C LRASMs, the State Department is also selling weapons to our allies down under. It’s still unclear just how much the deal is worth; however, Australia’s purchase of 100 Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles (AARGM)-Extended Range and equipment could be around $405 million. These weapons help Australia, one of America's biggest allies in the Pacific, better combat radars on land or sea that air defenses may use by suppressing or destroying them altogether.
Billion Dollar AGM-158C LRASM Deal, Aussie Deal Part of New Focus
It should come as no surprise that purchasing weapons isn’t exactly a big deal for the military; however, these deals are important for a few reasons. For starters, the new procurement strategy could be a great way to eliminate and fix future munitions-related issues. Such deals are also helping the United States provide key allies in various parts of the world with better defensive capabilities, in the event of military action. The specific use of these weapons and the nature of the Australian arms deal specifically seem to lean toward the overall trend of protecting the Pacific. China remains a considerable threat in the area and both the AGM-158C LRASM and AGM-158B present opportunities to counter their actions should a conflict arise. Suggested reads:
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