Raytheon Wins $615M to Produce 17 SM-3 Interceptor Missiles

Raytheon has won $614.5 million modification contract from the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to produce 17 Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) and provide support services.

The modification contract covers SM-3 Block IIA missiles, containers, production support, engineering efforts, obsolescence monitoring, technical baseline engineering, quality assurance and audit support, US Department of Defense said in a statement Monday.

Work is expected to be completed by March 2020.

The SM-3 interceptor uses sheer force, rather than an explosive warhead, to destroy its target. Its “kill vehicle” hits threats with the force of a 10-ton truck traveling 600 mph. This technique, referred to as “hit-to-kill,” has been likened to intercepting a bullet with another bullet.