RTX's Missile Production Hit By Snarled Supply Chains

Whether it begins in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, or the South China Sea, World War III threats are mounting with each passing week. But what's more concerning is America's bloated military-industrial complex is not prepared for the next major conflict. 

Bloomberg reports RTX Corporation, formerly Raytheon Technologies Corporation, is behind schedule in delivering "aircraft carrier killer" missiles to the US Navy to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region. This recently forced a House defense spending committee to block the Pentagon's request for another multi-billion missile contract with the defense contractor. 

The Defense Contract Management Agency said only half of the 625 Standard Missile-6 missiles required under a five-year contract from 2019 have been delivered. Despite RTX's snarled supply chains, the Pentagon wants to purchase another 825 missiles. 

 "The extent to which those delays and cost impacts were fully within Raytheon's control is not entirely clear," DCMA told Bloomberg. 

Other delays include engine motors manufactured by Aerojet Rocketdyne, which L3Harris Inc. now owns. 

DCMA continued:

 "Pending any unforeseen issues, we anticipate Raytheon will be back on schedule before" Sept. 30 as its delivery "has improved over the last two years." 

However, Rep. Ken Calvert, the Chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, remains skeptical RTX can resolve supply chain woes in the near term, and that is why he rejected the Pentagon's most recent Standard Missile-6 missile order. 

"I believe there's value in multi-year procurement when it's appropriate, which is why the fiscal 2024 bill authorizes most of the other multi-year contracts requested," Calvert said, adding, "But everything we approve has to be justified and scrutinized, and the fact is the performance on the previous multi-year contract for the SM-6 gives us concern" because it behind schedule. 

Even the Navy's top readiness official, Fleet Forces Command head Admiral Daryl, scolded the military-industrial complex at a recent conference: "I need SM-6 delivered on time. I need MK-48 torpedoes delivered on time."