ATK (NYSE: ATK) has won a $17 million contract t0 build rocket motors for supersonic, heat-seeking air-to-air missiles for a U.S. Air Force foreign military sales agreement.
The company is re-starting the AIM-9P rocket motor production line as many international inventories are aging beyond the missile’s period of expected use in service, ATK said Wednesday.
“ATK is proud to re-start production of the AIM-9P rocket motor to support the needs of our FMS customers, ” said Jerry Brode, an ATK tactical propulsion market segment director.
NATO countries and other international U.S. allies have used the AIM-9P Sidewinder missile on fixed-wing combat aircraft since the 1970s.
Between 1978 and 1990, the company has manufactured more than 30, 000 AIM-9P rocket motors at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory facility in Rocket Center, W.Va.
“This rocket motor has a significant history with ATK and has maintained a long-standing position within our portfolio of tactical Sidewinder and air-to-air rocket motor production lines, ” Brode said.
ATK will continue building the rocket at ABL, a Navy-owned and ATK-operated facility.
