The Navy's Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER) completes its first live fire event July 19, 2021 off the coast of Point Mugu Sea Test Range in California. (U.S. Navy photo)

A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) annual assessment of major weapon systems revealed that delays to the Navy’s long-range anti-radiation guided missile program has pushed back initial operational capability (IOC) by two years while the government withheld contractor payments due to the delays. The Northrop Grumman [NOC] Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile—Extended Range (AARGM-ER) is an upgrade to the AGM-88E AARGM air-launched missile meant to be a longer range and higher speed version of a missile that targets enemy air defense…