Boeing on June 29 received a firm-fixed-price contract from U.S. Naval Air Systems Command for the production of nearly 90 Harpoon Block II missiles and associated hardware for the U.S. and four foreign militaries.

The $145.1 million contract also includes exercise and test variants of the Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM ER). The first missile deliveries are scheduled for this August and contract work is expected to run through December 2013.

Boeing received two related weapons contracts from the Navy in May: One procured Harpoon and SLAM ER weapons system components for the U.S. and also supported foreign military sales for 12 countries. The other was for Advanced Harpoon Weapons Control software integration for one of the international customers.

"After four decades of cooperation with our Navy partners, Boeing continues to find innovative ways to incorporate system upgrades to enhance Harpoon's reach and interoperability," said Debbie Rub, vice president and general manager for Boeing Missiles and Unmanned Airborne Systems.

"This contract allows us to further partner with the Navy to enhance the capabilities of Harpoon and SLAM ER to quickly and affordably meet the evolving needs of warfighters around the globe."

Harpoon Block II missiles feature autonomous, all-weather, over-the-horizon capability and can execute missions against sea and land targets, including coastal defense sites, surface-to-air missile sites, exposed aircraft, port or industrial facilities, and ships in port.

More than 600 ships, 180 submarines, 12 different types of aircraft and land-based launch vehicles carry Harpoon missiles.

Boeing has delivered more than 7,300 Harpoon and Harpoon Block II missiles to the U.S. Navy and more than 30 international military customers since the inaugural Harpoon contract was awarded by Naval Air Systems Command on June 21, 1971.

SLAM ER, a derivative of Harpoon, is an air-dropped surgical strike weapon against high-value land targets or ships at sea or in port. A highly accurate man-in-the-loop cruise missile, SLAM ER can be launched from a range of more than 150 nautical miles and is reprogrammable in flight.