WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Raytheon, an RTX (RTX) business, said it has entered full-rate production for Standard Missile-3 Block IIA, validating the program's design maturity amid increased demand for the product from the United States and allied partners.
The SM-3 Block IIA production milestone cleared the way for a $1.9 billion award from the U.S. Missile Defense Agency in July 2024 to produce rounds for both the U.S. government and Japan Ministry of Defense.
SM-3 Block IIA, created in a landmark cooperative development program between MDA, Japan Ministry of Defense and their industry partners (Raytheon and Japanese industry), is the first MDA-procured program of its kind to achieve this manufacturing milestone.
The company noted that SM-3 Block IIA features larger rocket motors and an enhanced kinetic warhead compared to its predecessors, allowing it to engage threats faster and protect larger regions from short- to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats.
Work under the contract will be done at Raytheon facilities in Tucson, Ariz.; and Huntsville, Ala., with completion by February 2031.
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