Raytheon has received a $205-million contract from the US Navy to continue producing the Phalanx Close-In Weapon System.
The deal covers upgrades, conversions, overhauls, and associated equipment.
Work will be carried out in Louisville, Kentucky, and other US locations, with completion expected by 2029.
“Phalanx is our navy’s last line of defense, expertly designed to protect our sailors from the threats they face every day,” said Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon.
“Securing this contract underscores the trust the US Navy places in an absolutely critical system,” she added.
Phalanx Close-In Weapon System
The Phalanx Close-In Weapon System is a computer-controlled, radar-guided gun designed for last-line defense against anti-ship missiles and other close-range threats.
The system is capable of firing as many as 4,500 rounds per minute.
It is mounted on all classes of US Navy surface combatants and is also in service with 24 allied navies.
Phalanx handles search, detection, tracking, threat evaluation, and engagement in a single platform.
The Block 1B variant adds a forward-looking infrared sensor and operator control stations, enabling visual target identification.
It extends the capability to counter helicopters and fast surface vessels at sea, and to support land-based operations against rockets, artillery, and mortar fire.
In June, the US Department of Defense awarded Raytheon a $279.2-million contract to provide management support for the US Army’s land-based Phalanx system.
Last year, the USS Gravely employed the system in the Red Sea to shoot down a Houthi missile that had closed to within 1 nautical mile (1.8 kilometers) of the ship, seconds before impact.
