Lockheed Recieves US$51.3m Missile Launcher Contract

Lockheed Martin has received a US$51.3m contract to supply 430 M299 helicopter-mounted missile launchers and 376 launcher electronic assemblies to the US Army.

The M299 launcher weighs 145lbs and supports four HELLFIRE II or Longbow HELLFIRE missiles.

It is capable of firing multiple missile variants in an any sequence, providing maximum operational flexibility, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control director of the air-to-ground missile systems programme Ken Musculus says.

"This all-digital 'smart' launcher can carry and fire any combination of HELLFIRE II and Longbow HELLFIRE missiles, giving the Apache and other attack helicopters the ability to engage a wide range of targets in a single sortie."

Deliveries are scheduled to run until the third quarter of 2011.

By staff writer