TUCSON, Ariz. - RTX's Raytheon has received a not-to-exceed $20.7 billion multiyear contract to produce Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) for the U.S. military and foreign customers, supporting requirements through June 2033.
The fixed-price incentive firm and firm-fixed-price indefinite-delivery contract action covers AMRAAM All-Up Rounds, guidance sections, direct charges, and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) offsets. The contract is valued at up to $20.699 billion, although approximately $154.4 million is being obligated at the time of the award.
The five-year multiyear contract includes two option years. The award includes FMS requirements for Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. AMRAAM was acquired on a sole-source basis.
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The contract's scale reflects AMRAAM's continuing role as a principal U.S. and allied beyond-visual-range air-to-air weapon, as well as the missile's evolution into a networked weapon with modernized guidance electronics and software. The current AIM-120D generation incorporates a two-way datalink, a GPS-enhanced inertial measurement unit, an expanded no-escape envelope, improved high-angle off-boresight capability, and increased range compared with earlier variants, according to Air Force budget documents.
Refreshed tech
The latest variant, the AIM-120D-3, incorporates hardware and software improvements developed under the AMRAAM Form, Fit, Function Refresh (F3R) program. The F3R effort is a comprehensive hardware redesign that affects 15 circuit-card assemblies and replaces components based on early-2000s technology while maintaining the missile's existing form, fit, and function. Air Force officials said the refreshed hardware provides a foundation for future software updates.
The weapon combines inertial guidance, midcourse updates, and an onboard active radar seeker, with the two-way datalink allowing the missile to remain connected to the broader engagement architecture before its terminal guidance phase. The Air Force identifies AMRAAM's mission as engaging high- and low-altitude, high-speed targets in electronic-countermeasures environments, supporting longer-range engagements and reducing reliance on close-in maneuvering.
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AMRAAM's role extends beyond fighter aircraft. The missile serves as the interceptor for the National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS), giving U.S. and allied forces a common missile family for both air-to-air engagements and ground-based air defense. RTX says AMRAAM operates on 14 platforms and is fielded by 44 countries.
The new contract also provides a mechanism for substantially increasing production capacity. RTX said in February that its agreement with the DoD called for annual AMRAAM production to increase to at least 1,900 missiles, a record-setting production level.
The production expansion comes as the United States and its allies seek to replenish missile inventories and increase capacity for critical munitions. Reuters reported that the new agreement is part of a broader Pentagon effort to accelerate weapons production amid concerns over U.S. inventories following recent operations and continued weapons transfers to allies.
The contract does not specify the number of missiles or identify the specific AMRAAM variant or configuration mix to be delivered. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by 30 June 2033.
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., is the contracting activity (FA8556-26-C-B001).
