BAE Systems has completed the delivery of all Lot 8 radio frequency (RF) sensors to Lockheed Martin for integration into the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM), supporting efforts to accelerate production of the advanced stealth weapon.
Lockheed Martin secured a contract in May 2023 to manufacture LRASM Lots 7 and 8, with production activities scheduled to continue through January 2029. The US Air Force initially anticipated the delivery of 25 Lot 7 missiles in September 2025, followed by 27 Lot 8 missiles in July 2026.
BAE Systems has been supplying RF sensors for the LRASM programme since 2018. The company also holds a contract to deliver additional sensors through 2028, strengthening the US military’s maritime strike capabilities.
To address increasing production requirements, BAE Systems has invested in advanced electronic warfare manufacturing facilities to expand production capacity. The company has also enhanced the RF sensor software to support improved missile performance.
LRASM: Advanced Stealth Anti-Ship Missile
The Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) is a joint US Navy and US Air Force air-launched, high-subsonic anti-ship weapon derived from the AGM-158B Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM-ER).
With an approximate weight of 2,400 pounds (1,089 kilograms), LRASM is designed to identify and engage specific vessels within heavily defended naval formations, including those protected by sophisticated air defence systems.
The missile has an operational range exceeding 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres / 230 miles).
LRASM incorporates the JASSM-ER’s 1,000-pound (454-kilogram) penetrator and blast-fragmentation warhead, along with enhanced digital anti-jamming GPS capabilities. However, it features an advanced multimode sensor and seeker package developed by BAE Systems.
The sensor suite integrates:
– Passive RF Sensor: Enables wide-area target detection and acquisition.
– Imaging Infrared (IIR) Seeker: Supports precise terminal-stage target identification and engagement.
These advanced capabilities allow LRASM to autonomously identify and engage maritime targets with reduced dependence on external intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platforms, network connectivity, and GPS signals, particularly in highly contested operational environments.
