Lockheed is expecting to win a second US Defense Department contract for the further development of an air-launched long-range anti-ship missile.

The new missiles are designed to destroy enemy ships using onboard sensing and computing capabilities, reducing dependence on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, data links and global positioning systems.

They also would have sufficient range to engage targets from well beyond direct counter-fire ranges of projected threats, according to Reuters.

Lockheed has recently won a $157.7m follow-on contract to develop the ship-launched, high-speed, liquid-fuelled version expected to be complete by April 2013.