Air Force chooses Raytheon over Lockheed Martin to design and build new long-range nuclear cruise missile
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. – The U.S. Air Force has chosen Raytheon Co. as the sole-source manufacturer to proceed with the service's new nuclear cruise missile, which is intended to be launched from aircraft such as the B-52 Stratofortress. Military.com reports. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
7 May 2020 -- The service last month selected Raytheon's design for the Long Range Stand Off weapon (LRSO), a cruise missile which is in the technology-maturation and risk-reduction phase, over Lockheed Martin Corp.
While officials didn't call the latest decision a down-select between the two companies -- a move that wasn't expected until fiscal 2022 -- Air Force officials say they came to the choice after an extensive evaluation.
In 2017, the Air Force awarded contracts to Lockheed Martin and Raytheon to begin preliminary work on LRSO long-range nuclear weapon. The agreements were valued at $900 million each and were to last almost five years to mature design concepts and prove developmental technologies.
John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics
