Raytheon Receives Contract for SM-3 Block IIA Missile Defence Interceptor Production & Delivery

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Naval Forces News - USA
 
 
 
Raytheon Receives Contract for SM-3 Block IIA Missile Defence Interceptor Production & Delivery
 
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awarded Raytheon Company a $543 million contract to produce and deliver up to 17 Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA interceptors for operational testing and initial deployment.
     
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awarded Raytheon Company a $543 million contract to produce and deliver up to 17 Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA interceptors for operational testing and initial deployment.
SM-3 advanced missile defense interceptor
     
SM-3 Block IIA is a cooperatively developed joint program with the MDA and Japan Ministry of Defense. The SM-3 Block IIA interceptor will dramatically expand the range and capability from the current SM-3 Block IA and IB interceptors enabling more mission flexibility on both Japanese and U.S. Aegis ships.

This new variant of the SM-3 features larger rocket motors and a more capable kill vehicle, which will provide faster speeds and greater range, protecting larger regions of land. Its versatility permits use at sea or on land, with no modification to the missile – a trait unique to the SM-3 family of ballistic missile defense interceptors.

"SM-3 Block IIA plays a pivotal role in Phase 3 of the European Phased Adaptive Approach through its proven technology and adaptability to an evolving security environment," said Dr. Mitch Stevison, Raytheon Air & Missile Defense vice president. "SM-3 Block IIA remains on schedule for both land and sea deployment in 2018, enabling a greater degree of protection than ever before for our U.S. deployed forces and NATO allies."

Production under this contract will be completed at Raytheon facilities in Tucson, Ariz., Huntsville, Ala., Andover, Mass., and Goleta, Calif.

About the Standard Missile-3
SM-3s destroy incoming ballistic missile threats in space using nothing more than sheer impact equivalent to a 10-ton truck traveling at 600 mph.
More than 230 SM-3s have been delivered to date.
SM-3 Block IB is deployed at sea and will be deployed ashore in 2015 in Romania.
SM-3 Block IIA is on track for deployment at sea and ashore in 2018 in Poland.
     
Final assembly of the Raytheon-made Standard Missile-3 Block IIA round used in testing took place at the company's Redstone Missile Integration Facility in Huntsville, Ala. Picture: RaytheonThe Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI), Japan Ministry of Defense (MOD), and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, announced the successful completion of a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA flight test from the Point Mugu Sea Range, San Nicolas Island, California. This test, designated SM-3 Block IIA Cooperative Development Controlled Test Vehicle-01, was the first live fire of the SM-3 Block IIA. The missile successfully demonstrated flyout through nosecone deployment and third stage flight. No intercept was planned, and no target missile was launched.The Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI), Japan Ministry of Defense (MOD), and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, announced the successful completion of a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA flight test from the Point Mugu Sea Range, San Nicolas Island, California. This test, designated SM-3 Block IIA Cooperative Development Controlled Test Vehicle-01, was the first live fire of the SM-3 Block IIA. The missile successfully demonstrated flyout through nosecone deployment and third stage flight. No intercept was planned, and no target missile was launched.The Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI), Japan Ministry of Defense (MOD), and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, announced the successful completion of a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA flight test from the Point Mugu Sea Range, San Nicolas Island, California. This test, designated SM-3 Block IIA Cooperative Development Controlled Test Vehicle-01, was the first live fire of the SM-3 Block IIA. The missile successfully demonstrated flyout through nosecone deployment and third stage flight. No intercept was planned, and no target missile was launched.

Pictures of the SM-3 Block IIA CTV-1 first test