The United States is moving to strengthen its long-range anti-ship warfare capabilities after BAE Systems confirmed the accelerated completion of its entire Lot 8 batch of advanced radio-frequency (RF) sensors for the AGM-158C Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile.
In an announcement published on November 10, 2026, BAE Systems said it had delivered all Lot 8 RF sensor units to Lockheed Martin, the missile’s prime contractor. The sensors provide an important component of LRASM’s guidance architecture, helping the weapon detect and engage maritime targets in heavily contested environments.
The accelerated delivery marks an important industrial milestone for the programme as the US military seeks to expand the availability of long-range precision-strike weapons for naval operations.
BAE Systems said it invested in modernising its electronic warfare manufacturing facilities to meet the accelerated production schedule. The company is also under contract to supply LRASM RF sensors through 2028.
According to BAE Systems, LRASM production is expected to scale significantly in 2026 and beyond, reflecting growing demand for advanced maritime strike capabilities.
The company has not disclosed the number of sensors included in Lot 8, the financial value of the contract or the precise amount of time saved through accelerated deliveries.
The radio-frequency sensor developed by BAE Systems is a critical component of the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile’s ability to locate and engage naval targets.
Unlike conventional anti-ship weapons that may depend heavily on continuous external targeting information, LRASM is designed to operate with greater autonomy in environments where communications, satellite navigation and intelligence networks could be disrupted.
The missile combines several guidance and navigation technologies, including radio-frequency sensing, imaging infrared targeting, an inertial navigation system and enhanced anti-jamming GPS capabilities.
BAE Systems’ RF sensor contributes to the missile’s ability to detect and assess maritime targets, while the wider sensor architecture supports target discrimination and terminal guidance.
This combination is particularly important in modern naval warfare, where advanced warships increasingly operate with layered air-defence systems, electronic warfare capabilities and sophisticated detection networks.
The objective is to allow the missile to approach and engage high-value maritime targets without relying entirely on uninterrupted external communications or conventional targeting support.
LRASM: A Stealthy Anti-Ship Missile Designed for Contested Maritime Environments
However, LRASM has been specifically adapted for anti-surface warfare missions, particularly against heavily defended naval formations.
According to Lockheed Martin, the missile has a publicly stated range exceeding 200 nautical miles, or approximately 370 kilometres, and carries a 1,000-pound-class warhead.
Its reduced-observable design, intelligent navigation and multi-mode guidance architecture are intended to improve its survivability against advanced integrated air-defence systems.
One of LRASM’s most important characteristics is its ability to identify and engage specific vessels within a group of ships.
This capability is particularly relevant in the Indo-Pacific, where naval forces operate across vast maritime areas and where aircraft carriers, destroyers and other high-value surface combatants could become priority targets during a major conflict.
B-1B Lancer and F/A-18 Super Hornet: LRASM’s Operational Platforms
LRASM has already entered operational service with two major American military platforms.
The US Air Force’s B-1B Lancer strategic bomber achieved initial operational capability with the missile in December 2018.
The US Navy subsequently achieved early operational capability on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in November 2019.
These aircraft provide different operational options for deploying the missile. The B-1B offers a long-range bomber platform, while the carrier-based Super Hornet allows the US Navy to integrate LRASM into its carrier air-wing strike capabilities.
Expanding the number of platforms capable of carrying LRASM could give American forces greater flexibility in conducting maritime strike missions.
It also allows the United States to distribute its anti-ship capabilities across different aircraft types rather than depending on a limited number of specialised platforms.
Software Upgrades Strengthen LRASM’s Sensor Architecture
Alongside the accelerated hardware deliveries, BAE Systems confirmed that it had upgraded the LRASM RF sensor’s software and completed extensive verification testing.
The company said the improvements were delivered digitally without requiring modifications to the existing hardware.
This is significant because software-based improvements can provide opportunities to enhance existing equipment without waiting for entirely new hardware production cycles.
BAE Systems has not publicly disclosed the precise technical details of the software improvements. However, the company confirmed that it continues to develop both the hardware and software components of the sensor to address future battlefield requirements.
The development reflects a broader trend in modern missile programmes, where electronic warfare resistance, sensor performance and software adaptability are becoming increasingly important.
US Expands LRASM Manufacturing Capacity
The accelerated Lot 8 delivery is part of a wider effort to strengthen the American defence industrial base and increase the production of critical precision-guided munitions.
BAE Systems said its engineering, design and manufacturing activities for the LRASM RF sensor are conducted at four electronic warfare facilities:
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Austin, Texas
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Greenlawn, New York
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Nashua, New Hampshire
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Wayne, New Jersey
The company has invested in modernised manufacturing infrastructure to support higher production volumes and meet accelerated delivery requirements.
Lockheed Martin has also been expanding its production capabilities for the wider AGM-158 missile family.
The US Air Force’s FY2026 missile procurement documents list LRASM purchases across multiple production lots, including 83 AGM-158C-1 and 10 AGM-158C-3 missiles in the FY2026 procurement plan. These are planned procurement quantities, not confirmed deliveries.
The wider industrial expansion is intended to improve the availability of long-range precision weapons for the US military and allied customers.
Why LRASM Production Expansion Matters for the Indo-Pacific
The production expansion carries particular strategic significance for the Indo-Pacific, where the United States faces the challenge of maintaining credible maritime strike capabilities across enormous geographical distances.
China’s expanding naval fleet, including aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines and increasingly sophisticated anti-access and area-denial capabilities, has become a central consideration in American military planning.
In a potential high-intensity maritime conflict, US forces could face the challenge of engaging multiple surface targets while operating under the threat of long-range missiles, electronic warfare and advanced air-defence systems.
LRASM is designed to provide a long-range precision-strike option against high-value naval assets.
Its ability to operate with reduced dependence on external targeting networks is particularly relevant in environments where communications and satellite navigation may be degraded or disrupted.
For Washington, increasing missile production is therefore not simply a matter of adding weapons to existing inventories. It is also about ensuring that sufficient numbers of advanced munitions are available for sustained military operations.
This industrial dimension has become increasingly important as the United States reassesses its stockpiles and production capacity in response to growing global military competition.
What the Lot 8 Delivery Means for the Future of LRASM
The completion of the Lot 8 sensor deliveries represents another step towards expanding the production capacity of the AGM-158C LRASM programme.
BAE Systems’ contract through 2028 provides continuity for the missile’s critical sensor supply chain, while the company’s manufacturing investments are intended to support higher production requirements.
However, the number of sensors delivered under Lot 8 remains undisclosed, and BAE Systems has not announced a specific annual sensor production target.
The next important indicators will be subsequent production-lot announcements, Lockheed Martin’s missile delivery figures and further information about the LRASM programme’s production expansion.
The broader strategic picture is clear: the United States is placing greater emphasis on long-range maritime strike capabilities, advanced guidance technologies and the industrial capacity required to sustain them.
As naval competition intensifies, LRASM is likely to remain an important element of American efforts to maintain a credible stand-off anti-ship capability in heavily defended maritime environments.
