RTX Corporation Plans to Move AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM Missile Production Line to Belgium

The American defense giant RTX Corporation plans to relocate production of AIM-120C-8 AMRAAM radar-guided missiles to Belgium.

An RTX spokesperson told Jeff2146, an observer of the Belgian Armed Forces, that the move would allow the company’s Tucson facility to focus more on producing the newer AIM-120D-3 AMRAAM version.

As noted, RTX Corporation is currently discussing the potential involvement of about 30 Belgian companies in establishing a comprehensive domestic support and production supply chain.

Overall, in addition to Belgium, the company is also planning to organize the production of AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles in Japan.

In Japan, the company is working closely with Mitsubishi Electric, which will participate in the production of certain missile components, as well as their assembly and the integration of systems supplied by the American contractor.

This step is explained by the very high demand for missiles of this type, as they are the primary radar-guided air-to-air weapons used by combat aircraft to engage aerial targets at long ranges.

In addition, the missile has also proven effective as an interceptor for ground-based air defense systems such as NASAMS, which Ukraine actively uses to repel Russian missile and drone attacks.

Militarnyi previously reported that Raytheon, a division of RTX Corporation, had signed five large framework agreements with the United States Department of Defense.

The goal of these agreements is to significantly increase production capacity and accelerate the delivery of critical types of precision-guided weapons.

As for AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles, annual production is expected to rise to at least 1,900 units.

Since 2024, the company has been producing the fifth generation of AMRAAM, featuring improved guidance and software protection against electronic warfare systems.