Tucson missile factory awarded Navy contract

The U.S. Navy has awarded Raytheon’s Tucson missile factory a nearly $40 million contract for production of an infrared-guided air-to-air missile called the AIM-9X.

The company says the AIM-9X “Sidewinder” can also be used in air-to-surface missions. Additionally, the Navy announced it finished testing a nautical missile system developed in Tucson. The company says its Joint Standoff Weapon called the C-1 would enable U.S. warfighters to engage moving ships up to 70 miles away. The company says it hopes to have the C-1 operational by 2013.