Lockheed Martin to continue building MK41 VLS

LOCKHEED Martin will continue building MK 41 Vertical Launch Systems (VLS) for the US Navy under a $235 million contract award announced on 15 December.

Options could see the value of the contract rise to $356 million.

Lockheed Martin will continue production of launch control units, various electrical boxes and the mechanical structure and perform final assembly and test, through to 2022.

The company will also conduct repairs, distribute, store and manage spare parts for the MK 41 system for the US Navy.

The VLS is carried by US Navy cruisers and destroyers. The system can simultaneously accommodate the weapon control system and the missiles of every warfighting mission area, including anti-aircraft, anti-surface, anti-submarine and land attack and accepts any missile into any cell.

Joe North, vice president of littoral ships and systems, Lockheed Martin, said: ‘We are proud to continue building these launchers and bring this significant capability to the US Navy for its critical missions as we have for 32 years. The fact that the VLS can launch any type of missile from any cell brings unparalleled flexibility in addressing threats from land, air and sea.’