US awards Raytheon $22.9 billion deal to expand To…
WASHINGTON: The US military has awarded Raytheon, a unit of RTX, a massive $22.9 billion contract to significantly increase production of Tomahawk cruise missiles as Washington moves to replenish stocks of advanced weapons.
The Pentagon’s decision comes after the United States supplied substantial quantities of military equipment to its allies while also using large amounts of precision-guided munitions during the conflict with Iran.
The heavy use of weapons has raised concerns over the country’s remaining inventories, particularly air-defence systems and precision-strike capabilities.
Acting US Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said the agreement would help the defence industry rapidly expand ammunition production and ensure that American forces maintain sufficient combat capabilities.
The contract represents one of the largest recent investments in Tomahawk production and underscores Washington’s effort to strengthen its weapons reserves amid growing global security challenges.
Moreover, The United States has approved the sale of advanced Tomahawk cruise missiles and Typhon ground-based launchers to Germany, marking a major step in strengthening bilateral defense cooperation and significantly enhancing NATO’s military capabilities in Europe.
According to international media reports, the announcement followed high-level discussions held during the NATO summit, where German Chancellor Friedrich Merz described meetings with US officials as more productive than expected. He confirmed that Germany had reached an agreement with Washington to purchase the long-range missile system and eventually deploy it on German territory.
The decision is widely seen as a strategic move to close a key gap in Germany’s long-range strike capabilities at a time of growing security concerns across Europe.
Speaking after the summit, the German chancellor said the acquisition would strengthen the country’s defense posture while complementing broader European efforts to modernize military infrastructure and improve collective deterrence against emerging threats.
Reports indicate that the US government signed a Letter of Intent earlier this week, assuring Berlin that formal approval for the sale of the Tomahawk missiles and Typhon launchers is expected to be finalized in August.
German officials, however, declined to reveal how many missiles or launchers the country intends to purchase, citing national security and operational sensitivity. Defense sources said details regarding the size of the deal remain classified.
The Tomahawk is one of the world’s most advanced long-range cruise missiles, capable of striking targets with exceptional precision hundreds of kilometers away. The missile has been extensively used by the US military in multiple operations and is valued for its ability to engage strategic targets while minimizing collateral damage.
The Typhon launcher is a mobile ground-based missile system designed to fire multiple types of long-range precision weapons, providing greater operational flexibility and rapid deployment capabilities.
Defense analysts believe the agreement reflects NATO’s broader strategy to reinforce its eastern flank and improve Europe’s long-range strike capacity amid an increasingly complex security environment. The move is also expected to deepen defense cooperation between Washington and Berlin while accelerating Germany’s military modernization program.
Although officials have not disclosed a delivery timeline, the proposed acquisition is already being viewed as one of Germany’s most significant defense procurement decisions in recent years.
Analysts say the deployment of Tomahawk missiles on German soil could reshape Europe’s strategic military balance, strengthen NATO’s deterrence posture and send a strong signal of allied unity as the alliance continues adapting to evolving geopolitical challenges.
