Raytheon Company,
PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY: A Raytheon Company produced Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) successfully engaged a ballistic missile target outside the earth's atmosphere during a flight test over the Pacific Ocean.
Launched from the USS DECATUR (DDG 73), the SM-3 Block IA destroyed a medium-range ballistic missile target that had been launched from the U.S. Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. This flight test marked the first time that a SM-3 was fired from an Aegis destroyer. In previous tests, the missile was launched from Aegis cruisers. It was the third intercept of a medium-range target with a separating re-entry warhead and the ninth successful intercept for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program.
“This successful flight test again demonstrates the tactical, operational capability of SM-3 and the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Weapon System in real-world conditions,” said Frank Wyatt, Raytheon's vice president of Naval Weapon Systems. “We are proud of SM-3's impressive record of successful intercepts.”
The SM-3 Block IA provides increased capability to engage short-to- intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The SM-3 Block IA incorporates rocket motor upgrades and computer program modifications to improve sensor performance, missile guidance and control, as well as lower cost. It also includes producibility and maintainability features required to qualify the missile as a tactical fleet asset.
“The program has truly transitioned to a manufacturing mindset. We have delivered more than 23 operational SM-3 rounds to our customers. We are ramping up our facilities and suppliers to accelerate deliveries of this urgently needed capability to the fleet,” said Wyatt.
Raytheon's Missile Systems business in Tucson, Ariz., is developing SM-3 and leads the integrated team effort, which includes Alliant Techsystems, Aerojet and The Boeing Company. The kinetic warhead seeker and final integration occur in Raytheon's state-of-the-art kill vehicle space manufacturing facility in Tucson, alongside the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, an element of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program. Final assembly and testing of SM-3 occurs at Raytheon's Camden, Ark., facility.
Raytheon Company, with 2006 sales of $20.3 billion, is a technology leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning more than 80 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 73,000 people worldwide.
Note to Editors:
Raytheon's missile defense hit-to-kill successes with the Standard Missile-3 occurred Jan. 25, June 13 and Nov. 21, 2002; Dec. 11, 2003; Feb. 24 and Nov. 17, 2005; June 22, 2006 and April 26, 2007. Successes with the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle occurred Oct. 2, 1999; July 13 and Dec. 3, 2001; March 15 and Oct. 14, 2002; and Sept. 1, 2006.
