Overview
- An official Justification and Approval published February 13 authorizes a sole‑source IDIQ to BAE Systems after market research found it the only responsible source among 43 respondents able to meet airworthiness, integration and timeline needs.
- The Air‑to‑Air Dual Mode configuration adds a nose‑mounted long‑wave infrared seeker, a mid‑body warhead and a dual safe proximity fuze to enable a laser‑to‑IR handoff and shorten required lasing time.
- Government teams will assemble 300 prototype All‑Up Rounds from delivered components, with 100 for integration and qualification testing and 200 for operational evaluation as leave‑behind assets.
- Planned integration covers U.S. Air Force F‑16s and U.S. Navy MH‑60s, with an initial capability targeted within 24 months of the August 2024 Joint Urgent Operational Need.
- The rapid effort aims to provide a lower‑cost, shot‑dense option to defeat large Group 3 UAS swarms, with documentation also seeking expanded technical data rights and a 60‑month ordering window to support transition toward production.