A series of communications upgrades will be carried out by Boeing on US guided missile destroyers, under a $43m US Navy contract.

Under the contract, the company will develop an information transfer system to enhance reliability, maintainability and survivability by managing data from the ship’s navigation, steering-control, damage-control, machinery-control, combat and internal communications systems.

The contract will primarily be carried out on the navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which are used for a variety of roles including long-range missile attacks, preventing drug smuggling and humanitarian missions.

The work will be carried out at Boeing’s facility in Huntington Beach in California, US.