Boeing pulls Harpoon from competition

WASHINGTON – Citing continuing changes to requirements that would give Littoral Combat Ships and future frigates a less-capable weapon than those for aircraft, Boeing on May 2 dropped out of a Navy effort to buy an over-the-horizon (OTH) cruise missile. The decision leaves the Raytheon/Kongsberg’s Naval Strike Missile (NSM) and Lockheed Martin’s Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) as likely candidates. The Raytheon/Kongsberg joint effort is in the process of submitting to the Navy’s Request for Proposal (RFP), says spokesperson Tara Wood. The Mobile, Ala.-built USS Coronado is the only LCS to have launched cruise missiles (September 2014). LCS 4 was modified during its current deployment to Singapore, which included eight missile tubes installed on the foredeck. But since arriving in Singapore last fall, the ship has not fired another missile, although several live-fire exercises have been performed. Final bids on OTH are due July 23. (Source: Defense News 05/02/17)