Boeing (NYSE: BA) has received a $30M contract to help the U.S. Navy develop a supersonic ramjet missile element as part of the service branch’s modernization of its carrier-based weapons and air strike fighters.
The Navy Air Warfare Center Weapons Division and Boeing will build the Supersonic Propulsion Enabled Advanced Ramjet missile demonstrator to help the service estabish requirements for future carrier-based sea and land strike weapon systems, the company said Tuesday.
Steve Mercer, SPEAR program manager at Boeing, said the weapon is meant to be integrated with the carrier strike fleet and F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft to defend against advanced threats.
The award builds on Boeing’s experience in supersonic technology development, including the Variable Flow Ducted Rocket in 2014 and X-51 Waverider vehicle in 2010.
NAWCWD and Boeing are scheduled to demonstrate SPEAR in late 2022.
