RTX’s Raytheon has secured a $74 million contract to supply RAM Guided Missile Launching Systems to the U.S. Navy, representing the largest procurement of its kind in more than two decades. The contract includes delivery of new launchers, refurbishing older units, supplying hardware for system upgrades, and providing spare components to enhance fleet survivability.
The majority of the work will occur in Louisville, Kentucky, with completion scheduled for 2028. The RAM system is equipped with a 10-kilogram warhead and operates at supersonic speeds with a 9-kilometer range. It uses dual-mode passive radio frequency and infrared guidance, allowing for precise, fire-and-forget targeting.
Currently deployed across several U.S. naval vessels—including Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and San Antonio-class amphibious ships—the system reached a milestone in May with the delivery of the 250th MK49 launcher, destined for the USS Pittsburgh. Developed through a U.S.-Germany partnership, the RAM program is approaching its 50th anniversary in 2026.
