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Raytheon has secured a US$745 million ($1.05 billion) contract from the US Missile Defense Agency to produce and sustain SM-3 Block IIA interceptors, as Washington moves to expand its capacity to counter growing ballistic missile threats
RTX’s Raytheon business has been awarded a US$745 million ($1.05 billion) contract by the US Missile Defense Agency for the production and sustainment of Standard Missile-3 Block IIA (SM-3 IIA) interceptors.
The contract comes as the US and its allies seek to strengthen stocks of advanced missile-defence weapons amid the growing proliferation of short- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles.
The SM-3 IIA is a key component of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense architecture, providing an exo-atmospheric interception capability against ballistic missile threats.
The Block IIA was jointly developed by Raytheon and Japanese industry and incorporates a larger rocket motor and enhanced kinetic warhead compared with earlier SM-3 variants. The upgrades are designed to provide greater engagement capability and allow the missile to defend larger areas against ballistic missile threats.
Raytheon naval power president Barbara Borgonovi said the interceptor had become a critical component of regional missile defence: “SM-3 Block IIA is a cornerstone of regional defense, giving the US and allied partners greater reach, accuracy and confidence against evolving threats.”
The company said sustained investment in its production lines and manufacturing processes would allow it to increase output and accelerate deliveries to the US and allied customers.
The latest contract follows a US$115 million ($163 million) expansion of Raytheon’s missile integration facility in Huntsville, Alabama. The investment is expected to increase the facility’s integration and delivery capacity by more than 50 per cent.
“We’ve made sustained investments in our production lines and processes, which are allowing us to increase capacity and deliver these critical munitions to our customers more quickly,” Borgonovi said.
Production under the new contract will be undertaken at Raytheon facilities in Tucson, Arizona, and Huntsville. The expansion forms part of a broader US effort to increase production of critical missile-defence systems and replenish inventories following heightened demand for interceptors.
For US and allied forces operating Aegis-equipped ships and land-based Aegis Ashore systems, increased SM-3 IIA production provides additional depth in the interceptor inventory and supports sustained ballistic missile defence operations.
The contract also reinforces the growing importance of the US-Japanese industrial partnership underpinning the SM-3 IIA program, with Japanese industry contributing to the development of the advanced interceptor.
Raytheon said its investment in production capacity is intended to ensure the SM-3 family can meet increasing demand from the United States and its allies as ballistic missile threats continue to evolve.
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