Lockheed Martin continues toward demonstrating the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) weapon capability under the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency’s (DARPA). The company has received two contracts worth $218 million for the rapid development and demonstration of both variants – a stealthy air-launched variation and a high-speed ship-launched missile. Both weapons will utilize a common sensor system developed by BAE Systems.
“Both of our LRASM solutions will deliver extraordinary range, willful penetration of ship self defense systems and precise lethality in denied combat environments,” said Rick Edwards, vice president of Tactical Missiles and Combat Maneuver Systems at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “The maturity of these weapons and technologies allows near term transition to Navy magazines at an affordable price. These are low risk, practical options with the Navy initiating studies of anti-surface warfare capability.”
Two separate teams at Lockheed Martin are working on the two missiles – One team is using the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile – Extended Range (JASSM-ER) to demonstrate the stealthy air-launched ‘LRASM-A’ variant. This team has received $60.3 million in cost plus fixed fee contract to execute two air-launched demonstrations from Navy and Air Force tactical aircraft.
The second team focused on the ship-launched LRASM-B weapon received a $157.7 million to complete four Vertical Launch System (VLS) demonstrations, proving applicability to Navy surface combatants. According to the company, both LRASM-A and LRASM-B designs plan to support air-launch and VLS-launch configurations.
