Arthur McMiler 
- A software update added capabilities without hardware changes
- BAE’s sensor contract runs through 2028
- Four BAE electronic warfare sites support the program
A faster-than-planned production timetable has enabled BAE Systems to complete delivery of all Lot 8 radio frequency sensors for Lockheed Martin’s Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile, or LRASM. BAE said Tuesday the accelerated pace was facilitated through its investments in modernized electronic warfare facilities.
According to BAE, the upgraded sites allow it to engineer, build and ship new systems on time and in the quantities warfighters need.
What Role Does BAE’s RF Sensor Play in LRASM?
The RF sensor serves as the missile’s guidance system, enabling it to locate and strike targets in contested waters. BAE said LRASM can function despite sophisticated air defenses, giving U.S. forces a survivable means of attacking heavily protected vessels from long distances.
BAE began producing LRASM seeker technology in 2017, and in 2022, it secured a $38 million Lockheed order for additional sensors used on missiles fielded by the Navy, Air Force and allied militaries.
The missile is also moving onto the F-35. Lockheed and the F-35 Pax River Integrated Test Force completed the first LRASM flight test aboard the F-35B in March 2025, after demonstrating integration on the F-35C in September 2024.
How Long Will BAE Produce the LRASM Sensor?
BAE holds a contract to supply the sensors through 2028. Design, engineering and production work occurs at BAE electronic warfare sites in Texas, New York, New Hampshire and New Jersey.
“We’re delivering essential weapon systems that provide operational asymmetry and a decisive advantage to our warfighters,” said Vanessa Varrati, LRASM program director at BAE Systems. She attributed the faster deliveries to the company’s manufacturing practices and its relationships with Lockheed and the department.
What Software Upgrades Has BAE Made to the LRASM Sensor?
Alongside the hardware shipments, BAE revised the sensor’s software and completed extensive verification testing, introducing new capabilities through a digital update that required no physical modifications. BAE is still refining both the software and hardware, evaluating performance and adapting the system for future battlespaces.
What Other Missile Programs Is BAE Supporting?
In September, the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs awarded BAE a $94.6 million contract for engineering, technical and programmatic support of the Nuclear-Armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile, or SLCM-N. Most of the work will take place in Rockville, Maryland, and the contract runs through September 2028.
BAE is also among 1,014 companies the Missile Defense Agency placed on the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense contract, a vehicle worth up to $151 billion over as many as 10 years for acquiring Golden Dome homeland missile defense technologies. Task order competitions will begin once discussions with all offerors in the competitive range conclude.
Within its electronic warfare business, BAE in October booked a Lockheed contract to produce AN/ASQ-239 systems for F-35 Lots 20 through 22, along with retrofit units for aircraft already in service.
