The US Navy has asked industry to bid on supplying a new weapon that would enable destroyers to strike precision targets at ranges of up to 450km. Designed for the DD21, the Navy wants the GPS-guided Advanced Land Attack Missile (ALAM) to fit existing ships as well. The request for bids comes as contractors are scrambling to make the Extended Range Guided Munition work. The date for the new cannon shell to reach the fleet has been pushed back to 2004 to allow time for fixes to various components.--Stephen V Cole
Bollinger Shipyards has received a contract to upgrade three of the Navy's PC-1 Cyclone class inshore patrol boats to improve operations at sea and in shallow water.--Stephen V Cole