The Army has approved four companies (BAE, a Boeing-Northrop team, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon) to bid for development contracts for the new Common Missile that will eventually replace both the Hellfire and TOW anti-tank missiles. The Army plans to award multiple development contracts for the seeker, warhead, and rocket motor. The Army plans to pick two companies in 2004 and have each develop a missile. The winning contractor would get a production contract in 2008, but a second company will also get a contract to produce the same missile. There presumably will be an annual competition, with the winner getting a larger share of that year's order.--Stephen V Cole