Raytheon has secured an approximately $833-million US Navy contract modification to manufacture additional ESSM Block 2 missile assemblies and transport containers for 12 allied countries.
The award falls under the NATO SEASPARROW Surface Missile System (NSSMS) consortium, which comprises the US, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey.
Program activities will be distributed across over 20 global locations, with key work shares assigned to Tucson, Arizona; Edinburgh, Australia; and Mississauga, Canada.
The project is mainly financed through FY2026 funding from the US Navy and partner nations, supplemented by smaller contributions from earlier fiscal years, with completion targeted for September 2030.
ESSM Block 2
The NSSMS directs development and production of the Evolved SeaSparrow Missile, a naval air-defense weapon designed to shield surface warships such as carriers, cruisers, and amphibious assault vessels from high-speed and maneuverable aerial threats, including drones, aircraft, and supersonic anti-ship missiles.
ESSM Block 2 features an active radar seeker for independent end-stage targeting, improved agility, and adaptable software capabilities to address increasingly sophisticated threats.
The missile is 3.66 meters long, weighs roughly 280 kilograms, reaches speeds up to Mach 4, and can engage targets at ranges between 50 and 70 kilometers.
