TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire

The U.S. Navy awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $159.9 million contract to manufacture, inspect and test Phalanx Close-in Weapon Systems (CIWS).

Phalanx 1B encompasses the range of actions required to assure success and shape the battlespace for naval, joint, and combined forces. The contract, which provides for a $10 million option in FY15 and another valued at $291 million in FY16, includes support equipment for the Phalanx and SeaRAM Weapon Systems, Block 1B radar upgrades and kits for reliability, maintainability, and availability. The contract also covers overhaul of four Land-based Phalanx Weapon Systems. "Phalanx provides the U.S. Navy's ships with a 'last-chance' defense against anti-ship missiles and littoral warfare threats while SeaRAM extends that inner-layer battlespace," said Rick Nelson, vice president of Raytheon's Naval and Area Mission Defense product line. "Close-in systems give warfighters the ability to automatically carry out functions usually performed by separate systems on other ships." Work under the contract, which was signed in the third quarter of 2015, is expected to be completed by August 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. This contract was announced by the Department of Defense on September, 30, 2015.

Close-in Defense Solutions

Phalanx is a rapid-fire, computer-controlled radar and 20 mm gun system that automatically acquires, tracks and destroys enemy threats that have penetrated all other ship defense systems. More than 890 systems have been built and deployed in navies around the world.

Intended to enlarge Phalanx's keep-out range against evolving anti-ship missiles, rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft and other threats, SeaRAM Anti-ship Missile Defense Systems use advanced Phalanx Block 1B sensors and replaces the gun with an 11-round Rolling Airframe Missile guide. SeaRAM is aboard the Independence-class of the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ships.

About Raytheon

Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 93 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cybersecurity and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, visit us at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter @Raytheon.

LONDON, Dec. 11 (UPI)

Babcock is to deliver four Phalanx 1B kit modifications and conduct two conversions of the land Phalanx Weapons System to its original marinized configuration.

The work comes under a contract to the U.K. company from Britain's Ministry of Defense. The value of the work, however, was not disclosed.

The Phalanx is a close-in, computer-controlled weapon system of 20mm Gatling guns to defend a ship against missile attack. The guns fire 4,500 rounds per minute.

The 1B configuration allows for its use against small surface vessels and for crew to visually identify and target threats. It also features forward looking infra-red camera technology to defend the ship against surface targets and slow air targets.

Raytheon is the manufacturer of the system, which is used on U.S. and Royal Navy ships. Babcock is the in-service support provider in Britain for the system.

Under the new award -- delivered under an amendment to the existing support and upgrade contract -- Babcock will obtain Phalanx 1B systems equipment from Raytheon and covert the two land-based Phalanx weapon systems using their own weapons support engineers.

The systems are due to be delivered by March 2014.

"We are delighted to be applying our expertise and working with Raytheon to help the MOD and Royal Navy build the Phalanx ... capability it needs," said Babcock Weapons Business Development Manager Martin Laity. "Babcock is already known for our weapon support work for the UK MOD and our expertise in the assembly, test and setting to work of naval weapon systems.