American company Raytheon has been awarded a new contract for the production and delivery of AIM-9X air-to-air guided missiles, as announced on the official website of the U.S. Department of Defense.
The contract is valued at $263,717,654 and includes the supply of missiles and various other components under Lot 23. The contract specifies the delivery of a total of 571 AIM-9X Block II missiles, along with 48 training missiles.
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Out of the announced lot, approximately two-thirds of the missiles, which is 396 in total, are designated for the United States. Specifically, the U.S. Navy will receive 257 AIM-9X Block II missiles and 38 training missiles, while the U.S. Air Force will receive 91 AIM-9X Block II missiles and 10 training missiles.
Furthermore, additional 223 missiles will be manufactured for foreign military sales (FMS) purposes, intended for international customers. In addition to the missiles themselves, the contract also includes the production of other components such as containers, spare guidance units and more.
According to the announcement, the contract is structured for a duration of three years and is expected to be completed by August 2026. The work will be conducted at various facilities owned by the missile manufacturer and may also involve activities conducted outside the continental United States.
It was previously reported that Canada would provide Ukraine with 43 AIM-9 missiles as part of defense assistance. However, specific details regarding the transfer timeline have not been disclosed at this time.
In addition, as part of the latest US defense assistance package worth $300 million announced on May 31, it was revealed that air-launched AIM-7 missiles capable of targeting objects at distances of up to 70 km would be transferred. This announcement has sparked significant curiosity among the disclosed weaponry.
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