Rockwell Secures Deal to Extend Life of ICBMs

Rockwell International Corp. said Thursday it has been chosen to receive a “significant” Air Force contract to extend the life of the nation’s stock of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles by providing new guidance electronics.

Officials at Rockwell said the actual contract has not yet been drawn up and would not disclose the value of the deal except to call it a “multimillion-dollar” project. Air Force officials also would not provide a dollar value for the contract.

Much of the work will be done at Rockwell Defense Systems’ Autonetics Electronic Systems Division in Anaheim. A spokeswoman said it will generate few new jobs, though.

The Defense Systems unit supplies guidance and control equipment for all three generations of Minuteman missiles and the Peacekeeper missile, as well as supplying navigation systems for U.S. submarines and aircraft carriers and for Britain’s ballistic missile-carrying submarines.

Autonetics, as prime contractor, will be responsible for overall integration and testing, guidance and control electronics, test equipment and software.

Rockwell Defense Systems manages the company’s defense electronic, military aircraft, aircraft modification and tactical missiles businesses.