Raytheon’s [RTN] Standard Missile-3 Block IIA variant completed its preliminary design review (PDR) and is now ready to move into the Critical Design Review (CDR) phase, according to a company executive.
Raytheon Deputy Program Director for SM-3 Jack Ransbotham said in a telephone interview recently he expects the green light from the U.S. government to proceed into the CDR phase “in the next few weeks.”
Raytheon recently completed the PDR of the missile’s throttleable divert and attitude control system, according to a company statement. A company spokeswoman said that PDR was completed in December.
The SM-3 Block IIA variant, a co-development effort between the United States and Japan, is the cornerstone of Phase III of the Obama administration’s Phased Adaptive Approach, according to a statement. The missile’s larger rocket motors and advanced kinetic warhead will allow for a greater defended area, according to a statement.
The program is on track for a 2018 delivery, according to a statement.
Raytheon is developing all variants of SM-3 (Blocks IA, IB and IIA) as part of the Missile Defense Agency’s sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system, according to a statement. Ransbotham said the SM-3 Block IIA has been advertised to be deployed on Aegis Ashore as well. Aegis Ashore is the land-based version of Lockheed Martin’s [LMT] ship-based Aegis BMD.