RTX's Raytheon division is accelerating the production of its AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missiles to meet increased demand from the U.S. Air Force and Navy. This surge in production is partly driven by a significant number of recent F-35 sales.
Previously, annual production rates for these missile types fluctuated considerably. However, demand has now stabilized at a higher rate expected to persist over the next few years. The U.S. Program of Record for the AIM-120 will conclude with Lot 42 in approximately six years, after which production will primarily serve foreign military sales customers unless new domestic orders are placed.
Currently, RTX is producing AIM-120 missiles for Lot 36, with an order of 1,160 units requiring an increased production rate of 1,200 missiles per year. This ramp-up has been facilitated by focusing on manufacturing the latest AIM-120C8 and D3 versions.