BALTIMORE (BNS): Lockheed Martin has won a $17 million contract from the US Navy to provide engineering design services for the MK 41 Vertical Launching Systems integrated in the Navy’s Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers.

As per the contract, Lockheed will work on missile integration, software development, integration of VLS into new ships, technical refresh, systems engineering and life cycle support for MK 41 VLS.

The cost-plus-fixed fee contract combines purchases for the US Navy and eight Allied navies under the Foreign Military Sales programme, Lockheed said.

The MK 41 Vertical Launching System is a ship-based missile launching platform. The fixed, vertical firing system can hold an array of missiles – anti-air, anti-submarine, land-attack and ballistic missile defense and other missiles.

The canister launching system consists of a single eight-cell missile module and can fire missiles against hostile aircraft, missiles and other land targets.

The MK 41 VLS is currently deployed at sea in 13 different configurations, ranging from a single module with eight cells to 16 modules with 122 cells.

Over 12,000 MK 41 VLS missile cells have been delivered or are on order. The missile launch systems are either in service or on order by 12 navies around the world for 186 ships in 19 different classes.