Raytheon built its 2,000th Griffin precision low-collateral missile carried by Air Force AC-130W and Marine Corps KC-130J Harvest Hawk gunships, according to a Feb. 5 company release. “The Griffin missile has proven to be an effective way of doing business for special operations forces,” said 1st Lt. Ben Marshall, US Special Operations Command Det. 1 precision-guided weapon program manager. Since Griffin production began in 2008, “the capability has steadily improved, where effectiveness and reliability rule the day,” he said. The Griffin Block III variant, currently in production, boasts a new seeker head with better accuracy, as well as a “multi-effect” warhead that improves lethality, according to Raytheon. The improved version of this 33-pound, aft-firing missile is expected to equip special operations units in the coming months.
Anduril and General Atomics will develop their Collaborative Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, beating out Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, the service announced on April 24. But any of the non-selected companies can compete to actually manufacture the eventual design the Air Force said.