The Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin [LMT] a contract that could reach a value of $182 million for work on the Navy’s MK 41 vertical launch system for shooting missiles and other weapons from ships, the company said Tuesday.

A Tomahawk taking to the skies. Photo: U.S. Navy
A Tomahawk taking to the skies. Photo: U.S. Navy

The award also includes work on the MK 41 for eight allied navies under the Foreign Military Sales program. The initial award of $10 million covers engineering services for the system deployed on U.S. Navy destroyers and cruisers. Lockheed Martin has been the prime contract for the MK 41 for 32 years, the company said.

The MK 41 has been placed into 23 different ship classes worldwide. Lockheed Martin said it has delivered or is under contract for more than 12,000 MK 41 missile cells.

The MK 41 is in service or on order for 13 navies worldwide, including the United States.