Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $235m contract by the US Navy to extend the production of Mk41 vertical launching systems (VLS), which will be integrated on navy vessels.
The contract value will reach $356m if all options are exercised.
Lockheed Martin Littoral Ships and Systems vice-president Joe North said: "We are proud to continue building these launchers and bring this significant capability to the US Navy for its critical missions, as we have for 32 years.
"The fact that the VLS can launch any type of missile from any cell brings unparalleled flexibility in addressing threats from land, air and sea."
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By GlobalDataThe extension, which lasts until 2022, will see Lockheed manufacture launch control units, a range of electrical boxes and the mechanical structure, in addition to final assembly and test phases.
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Contract work will be undertaken at the company’s Baltimore, US, facility and involves repairs and the distribution and management of spare parts for the Mk41 system.
The Mk41 VLS can simultaneously accommodate the weapon control system and the missiles of a range of mission areas, including anti-aircraft, anti-surface, anti-submarine and land attack applications.
Since its inception in 1984, the VLS system has been used by the US and 12 allied navies on approximately 200 ships of 21 ship classes, and has completed 3,800 successful firings worldwide.
