Takeaways
Key facts from the contract announcement
1. $244.96 Million F/A-18 IRST Modification
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control received a $244.96 million firm-fixed-price modification for Full Rate Production 2 of F/A-18E/F Infrared Search and Track Block II systems.
2. Production Includes 48 Infrared Receivers
The procurement includes 48 infrared receivers, with 45 for the U.S. Navy and three for the Royal Australian Air Force, along with 74 processors and 27 Navy inertial measurement units.
Lockheed Martin Wins $245M F/A-18 IRST Block II Contract
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has received a $244.96 million U.S. Navy contract modification to expand production of the F/A-18E/F Infrared Search and Track Block II system, including equipment for both the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense contract announcement, the firm-fixed-price modification P00004 was issued against previously awarded contract N0001925C0009. The action adds scope for Full Rate Production 2, covering infrared receivers, processors, inertial measurement units, test equipment maintenance and lay-in material.
Scope of the F/A-18E/F IRST Block II Contract
The production scope includes 48 infrared receivers, of which 45 are allocated to the U.S. Navy and three to the Royal Australian Air Force.
The Navy portion also includes 74 processors and 27 inertial measurement units. The announcement does not identify the specific aircraft allocation for the Navy components.
The contract also covers maintenance associated with test equipment and lay-in material needed to support production.
The award is a modification rather than a new standalone contract. It therefore adds work to the existing N0001925C0009 agreement.
F/A-18E/F IRST Block II Technical and Operational Context
Infrared Search and Track, or IRST, provides an aircraft with a passive method of detecting and tracking targets using infrared energy. Unlike an active radar, an IRST sensor does not need to transmit radio-frequency energy to perform its basic sensing function.
For a fighter such as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, an IRST system can complement the aircraft’s radar and other onboard sensors. Passive infrared sensing can provide another source of target information, particularly in situations where maintaining a low electromagnetic signature is operationally relevant.
The contract announcement identifies the equipment as IRST Block II, but does not disclose specific detection ranges, sensor sensitivity figures, processor performance, target-tracking limits or other classified or program-specific technical characteristics.
Those figures should therefore not be inferred from the production quantity or contract value.
Operational Impact on U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force Fighter Fleets
The award supports continued fielding and production of IRST capability for the F/A-18E/F fleet. The inclusion of three infrared receivers for the Royal Australian Air Force also demonstrates that the production scope has an international component through U.S. Foreign Military Sales funding.
For the Navy, the procurement combines sensor receivers with associated processing and inertial measurement equipment. Together, these components form part of the equipment architecture required to operate and support the IRST capability rather than representing a standalone sensor purchase.
The announcement does not disclose the aircraft tail numbers, squadrons or specific deployment schedules associated with the equipment.
Contract Breakdown: Lockheed Martin Award Details
Contract Value
The modification is valued at $244,960,024.
Contractor
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Orlando, Florida, is the awardee.
Contract Type
The action is a firm-fixed-price modification, designated P00004, to previously awarded contract N0001925C0009.
Work Locations
Work will be performed at:
Location Share of Work Orlando, Florida 79.42% Santa Barbara, California 11.70% Ocala, Florida 5.70% Archbald, Pennsylvania 3.18% Performance Period
The work is scheduled for completion in February 2031.
Funding
The announcement states that the following funds will be obligated at the time of award:
- $232,545,493 in fiscal 2026 aircraft procurement funds for the Navy
- $1,603,143 in fiscal 2026 Navy working capital funds
- $10,811,388 in Foreign Military Sales customer funds
The combined obligations total the announced $244,960,024 modification value.
Options Or Follow-On Work
The announcement does not identify additional options associated with this modification. It specifically describes the action as adding scope for Full Rate Production 2.
Lockheed Martin Defense Industrial Base and Acquisition Impact
The award provides production funding for a specialized airborne infrared sensing capability while extending work across four U.S. locations.
The largest share of the work, 79.42%, will be performed in Orlando, Florida, where Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is based. Additional work is assigned to facilities in California, Florida and Pennsylvania.
The use of a firm-fixed-price structure places the agreed contract price and performance requirements within the terms of the existing procurement framework. The announcement states that the contract was not competitively procured.
Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
Program Milestones and Next Steps
The immediate milestone is the execution of the Full Rate Production 2 scope under the existing contract. Production and associated support work are expected to continue through February 2031.
The procurement covers both U.S. Navy requirements and three infrared receivers for the Royal Australian Air Force. The Foreign Military Sales portion is funded separately through customer funds identified in the announcement.
The contract notice does not provide a detailed delivery schedule for individual receivers, processors or inertial measurement units. It also does not disclose when the equipment will enter operational units.
