(Reuters) -Raytheon Technologies Corp has been awarded an about $2 billion contract by the U.S. Air Force to develop and make a nuclear-armed cruise missile, the U.S. aerospace maker said on Thursday.
The long-range standoff weapon (LRSO) will be manufactured in Tucson, Arizona, and is expected to be completed in February 2027, Raytheon said.
It will replace the aging air-launched cruise missile that was fielded in the early 1980s with a 10-year design life.
Bloomberg News earlier on Thursday reported that the Air Force plans to buy up to 1,000 LRSOs. (https://bloom.bg/3dA4CJQ)
(Reporting by Shreyasee Raj in Bengaluru; Editing by Ramakrishnan M.)
