Raytheon has been awarded a $23 million cost-plus-fixed fee U.S. Navy contract for a variety of support duties on the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile, or ESSM, program.

Work will include in-service support, technical engineering support services and Block 2 risk reduction support.

The ESSM program is an international cooperative to design, develop, test and procure ESSM missiles.

The missiles provide enhanced ship defense.

The award is pursuant to an international agreement between the U.S. and nine other countries.

The contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $197 million.

This deal utilizes funding from the Navy, Germany, Australia, Canada, The Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, Denmark, Greece, Japan and Spain.

Work will be performed in Arizona, The Netherlands, Norway, Germany, Australia, West Virginia, Canada, Spain, Turkey and Greece.

It is expected to be completed by December.

The Naval Sea Systems Command is the contracting activity.

The ESSM is an international effort to upgrade the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile.

The system provides self-defense battlespace and firepower against high-speed, highly maneuverable anti-ship missiles in the naval environment, Raytheon said.