Pentagon awards $6.3 billion contract to Raytheon for missile interceptors

Pentagon awards $6.3 billion contract to Raytheon for missile interceptors

The Pentagon awarded Raytheon a $6.3 billion multi-year procurement contract on Thursday to produce Standard Missile–3 Block IB (SM-3 Blk IB) interceptors.

“Our warfighters must never face a fair fight, and the SM-3 Blk IB has proven its operational superiority to dominate any adversary across the globe,” Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael P. Duffey said in a statement .

“This contract provides production certainty to our defense industrial base, breaks sub-tier manufacturing bottlenecks, and ensures that our fleets and combatant commands have the interceptors required to dominate the battle space — air, sea or land,” Duffey continued.

SM-3s can down short or medium-range ballistic missiles at sea or on land.

U.S. Navy destroyers have relied on SM-3s against Iranian ballistic missiles during the ongoing conflict.

SM-3 B variant, which was first launched in 2014, has an enhanced two-color infrared seeker , upgraded steering and propulsion that relies on short bursts to get to the target, according to Raytheon.

The contract spans five years , with two additional option years, according to the Pentagon.

“In addition, it eliminates the programmatic and supply-chain friction that constrains private-sector capacity, forcing capital allocation directly into assembly lines, solid-rocket motor suppliers and critical domestic sub-tier vendors,” the Pentagon said.

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