AL.com:
Raytheon Company has received a $559.2 million contract for missile work that will be completed at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville.
Raytheon made the announcement Monday morning after the Missile Defense Agency issued the undefinitized contract action last week.
The 2015 fiscal year contract calls for the production of Standard Missile-3 Block IBs, which are guided missiles used by the U.S. Navy to provide regional defense against short- to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats, according to the Raytheon announcement.
Raytheon said final assembly of the SM-3 Block IB will be performed at the company’s SM-6 and SM-3 all-up-round production facility at Redstone Arsenal.
Raytheon will produce 44 SM-3 Block IB all-up rounds and provide the work required to produce and deliver the third stage rocket motor reliability growth and design enhancements, according to the company. Raytheon said MDA said it intended to purchase additional missiles up to 52.
“We’ve consistently demonstrated the SM-3 Block IB’s quality, and now combatant commanders are focused on building up their quantities,” Dr. Mitch Stevison, Standard Missile-3 senior program director, said in the Raytheon announcement. “This contract award reflects the confidence the Missile Defense Agency has in this missile’s regional ballistic missile defense protection.”
Raytheon said the missiles were first deployed in 2014 at sea and a deployment in Romania is on track for later this year as part of the second part of the Phased Adaptive Approach, the U.S.’s plan for missile defense in Europe…
