Raytheon awarded $4.8M to continue work on EW payload for cruise missiles

Raytheon has been awarded a $4.8 million Air Force contract to continue research on a missile that destroys electronic devices.

The Counter-Electronics High Power Microwave Advanced Missile (CHAMP) emits bursts of energy to disable electronic systems. The Raytheon contract, for the Air Force Research Laboratory, is to develop CHAMP as a payload for the Conventional Air-Launched Cruise Missile (CALCM).

"Non-kinetic systems give the U.S. the option to defeat enemy infrastructure with little collateral damage," said Thomas Bussing, vice president of Raytheon Advanced Missile Systems, said in a company news release. "The pairing of CHAMP and CALCM, a proven weapon, lowers risk and brings tomorrow's capabilities forward to today."

The CHAMP team includes CALCM manufacturer Boeing as well as Sandia National Laboratories.

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