$169.9M For Support of Phalanx Close-in Ship Defense Guns
Ivan Potter
Report from 2006 spending for the Phalanx system. This is but one example of military systems support made in Kentucky.Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, AZ received a $169.9 million firm-fixed-price requirements contract for performance-based logistics in support of the Phalanx CIWS (close-in weapon system). The radar-guided, rapid-firing Mk. 15 Phalanx can fire between 3,000-4,500 20mm rounds per minute as a last-ditch defense against incoming anti-ship missiles, and upgraded Block 1B versions can now be used against small gunboats, standard and guided artillery; helicopters, et. al. It uses closed-loop spotting with advanced radar and computer technology to locate, identify and direct a stream of armor piercing projectiles to the target (see video: MPEG | AVI , with hat tips to the good folks at Digg.com ). This contract combines procurements by the US Navy (74.79%); US Coast Guard (4.6%); and the Governments of Australia (5%); Israel (5%); New Zealand (5%); Japan (1%); United Kingdom (1%); Canada (1%); Taiwan (1%); Poland (1%); Bahrain (0.4%); and Saudi Arabia (0.21%) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. Work will be performed in Louisville, KY (90%), and Tucson, AZ (10%), and is expected to be complete by April 2011. This contract was not competitively procured by the Naval Inventory Control Point in Mechanicsburg, PA (N00104-06-D-L007).
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