On June 26, Naval Air Systems Command officially awarded a $1.1 billion contract to Raytheon for an indefinite delivery and quantity contract for a minimum of 2,000 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles. This is more than double the typical production of past years, which hovered around the several hundred unit mark. The decision is not surprising, following the controversially high expenditure of advanced missiles like AIM-9X during Operation Epic Fury. The Sidewinder is a staple of air-to-air munitions for the US and its allies since its introduction decades ago. However, the latest iteration is optimized for the Lockheed Martin F-35…