$169.9M For Support of Phalanx Close-in Ship Defense Guns

Phalanx, firing(click to view full) 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 between 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).