Neel Mehta
Lockheed Martin will integrate the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile into the U.S. Air Force‘s B-1B and U.S. Navy‘s F/A-18E/F aircraft under the $321.8 million sole-source contract awarded earlier this month.
The company said Thursday the Air Force has set LRASM to start operations in 2018 with the Navy scheduled in 2019.
The contract also funds continued testing on LRASM, a precision-guided anti-ship standoff missile, Lockheed added.
Mike Fleming, LRASM program director at Lockheed’s missiles and fire control business, said LRASM’s anti-ship functions work to help warfighters engage enemies in previously unfavorable combat environments.
The company noted that LRASM was designed to utilize its Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range technology and support the Navy and Air Force in anti-access/area denial threat environments.
