The US Missile Defense Agency has awarded Raytheon a $745.4 million contract to manufacture and assemble Standard Missile-3 Block IIA interceptors for the United States and Japan. Work will be conducted in Tucson, Arizona, and Huntsville, Alabama, with completion expected by February 28, 2031. The SM-3 is a hit-to-kill missile defence interceptor designed to destroy ballistic missile threats outside the atmosphere during the midcourse phase. It can be launched from Aegis Ashore sites and Mk 41 vertical launching system cells aboard Aegis-equipped warships. US Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are among the platforms that can employ the system. Japan is also preparing two Aegis System Equipped Vessels, scheduled to enter service in 2027 and 2028. Block IIA is a newer version jointly developed by the United States and Japan, with industrial participation from Raytheon and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. It features larger rocket motors and a larger kinetic warhead, supporting wider defensive coverage and improved capability against sophisticated ballistic missile threats.
