"We selected Huntsville because of its reputation as a high technology center and the fact that a highly trained and capable workforce is available here to produce the Joint Common Missile," said Roger Krone, senior vice president, Army Systems, for Boeing. "Being near our customer at Redstone Arsenal ensures close teamwork and coordination."

The Joint Common Missile is a multi-service, multi-user, multi-platform missile designed to engage and destroy stationary, re-locatable, and moving targets ranging from buildings and bunkers to tactical vehicles and advanced armor. The weapon has also been designed to destroy small naval targets such as patrol craft.

James Pitts, Northrop Grumman vice president and general manager, Aerospace Division, added, "Boeing and Northrop Grumman have a proud and successful history of working with the Huntsville and Redstone Arsenal communities. We hope to continue that commitment by building the Joint Common Missile in northern Alabama."

The Boeing Team, including key members Northrop Grumman Corporation, General Dynamics Ordnance Tactical Systems, and Alliant Techsystems (ATK), is competing to provide a low-risk, affordable missile system to meet its customers' needs.

"Huntsville and the northern Alabama area provide an outstanding place for our employees to live and our company to conduct business," said Tony Brooks, Joint Common Missile program manager for Boeing. "This, combined with an enabled workforce possessing the technical skills needed for both engineering and manufacturing, makes Huntsville the logical choice for the production of this missile."

Both Boeing and Northrop Grumman already have a large presence in the Huntsville area. Boeing employs almost 3,000 people, mainly in space and missile defense jobs. Northrop Grumman has had production facilities supporting Longbow HELLFIRE and the Bat precision munition program.

The Joint Common Missile program is using a modular approach to replace HELLFIRE and Maverick missiles on both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft for the U.S. Army, Navy and Marine Corps. This joint program will provide the warfighter with commonality, interoperability, increased survivability and lower total lifecycle cost when compared to current systems. The Boeing - Northrop Grumman team has extensive experience in delivering low-cost weapons to U.S. and foreign military customers.

Northrop Grumman's Baltimore-based Electronic Systems sector is a world leader in the design, development, and manufacture of defense and commercial electronic systems, including airborne radars, navigation systems, electronic countermeasures, precision weapons, airspace management systems, communication systems, space systems, oceanic and naval systems, government systems, and logistics services.

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