Convair Awarded Missile Contract

General Dynamics’ Convair Division has been awarded a $15.5 million contract to produce 18 Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles for the U.S. Navy, Rep. Jim Bates’ (D-San Diego) office announced.

The contract was awarded after the successful testing earlier this year of the missiles, which cost approximately $2 million apiece. The work is expected to be completed by March of 1987. No new jobs for the San Diego-based division will be created by the contract, Convair spokesman Jack Isabel said.

In November of 1983 Convair was awarded a $245-million contract to develop the missile, which is a small, pilotless aircraft designed to evade enemy radar and defenses by closely hugging the terrain.