Lockheed, Raytheon Gain $66.5 Million In Contracts For Paveways

Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT] and Raytheon Co. [RTN] separately received Air Force contracts for the Paveway laser guided bomb program.

Lockheed gained a $32.7 million contract to deliver Paveway II Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) GBU-10 and -12 kits.

Meanwhile, Raytheon gained a $33.8 million pact for PavewayLGB) components for the fiscal year 2006, ending Sept. 30.

The $33.8 million in contracts calls for Raytheon to provide the Air Force with LBG computer control groups and air foil groups that transform “dumb” bombs into precision guided munitions.

Lockheed said its Paveway systems have been used extensively in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).

Delivery to the Air Force is scheduled to begin in July through September.

The Lockheed Paveway recently was re-qualified through extensive joint Navy and Air Force testing, according to the Bethesda, Md.,-based firm.

In November, the Navy awarded Lockheed $65 million and a five-year procurement with a potential value of $266 million to develop, qualify and produce the Paveway II Dual Mode Laser Guided Bomb (DMLGB) kits, the next-generation precision-guided weapon system.

As for Raytheon, the $33.8 million pact calls for the company to provide the Air Force with LBG computer control groups and air foil groups that transform”dumb” bombs into precision guided munitions.

Work will be done primarily at Raytheon facilities in Tucson, Ariz., and Dallas.

The Paveway LGB system features an onboard guidance system, the computer control group that detects and guides the unit to a target illuminated by an external laser source.

Since first developed in 1968, the evolving Paveway series of LGBs has revolutionized precision delivery against tactical target sets including bunkers, buildings, bridges, runways, aircraft shelters and missile launchers, according to Raytheon.

“The Paveway semi-active, laser-guided munitions greatly reduce the number of weapons needed to destroy a target and also feature accuracy, reliability and cost-effectiveness previously unobtainable in conventional weapons,” said Capt. Scott Fitzner, Paveway II program manager at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

“Laser-guided bombs have been the weapon of choice in every conflict since Operation Desert Storm. More than 8,700 LGBs were used in Operation Iraqi Freedom, making up about half of all the air-launched, precision-guided munitions used.”

The Air Force awarded Raytheon’s successful Paveway II the majority of the funding available for the fiscal year 2006 production award, including the maximum computer control group award allowed under the competitive contract.

Raytheon’s legacy of more than 35 years of LGB development and manufacturing experience has seen more than 250,000 Paveway II precision-guided weapons delivered to the U.S. and more than 35 allied nations for use on 25 different aircraft, according to the Waltham, Mass., company.

Raytheon said it is the sole provider of the Paveway family of precision-guided weapons, and holds the trademark on the name.