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SM-3 launch from a US Navy cruiser. MDA picture.

U.S. Missile Defense Agency awards Raytheon $1 billion SM-3 Block IIA Contract

Raytheon Company was awarded a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA contract modification as announced by the U.S. Department of Defense on Dec. 20, 2019.

Xavier Vavasseur 26 Dec 2019

Under this modification, the contractor will provide the management, material and services associated with the procurement, manufacture and assembly for a total of 62 SM-3 Block IIA AURs, inclusive of all options.

About SM-3 Block IIA Interceptor

The SM-3 Block IIA is designed to destroy SRBM (short range ballistic missile) and IRBM (intermediate-range ballistic missiles). It is a joint development project started in 2006 by Raytheon and Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.

Compared to previous variant of the missile (like the SM-3 Block IB), the Block II1 variant features a larger rocket motor and a larger kinetic interceptor.

The SM-3 Block IIA successfully completed a full engagement test against a medium-range ballistic missile target in October 2018.

Authors

Posted by : Xavier Vavasseur

Xavier is based in Paris, France. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems and a Master of Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Xavier has been covering naval defense topics for nearly a decade.