TUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 27, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $175 million contract for the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA cooperative development program with Japan. The contract will provide continued funding for engineering and development efforts for the SM-3 Block IIA missile through the preliminary design review of the all-up-round, scheduled for early 2011.

The contract also includes an option for future studies totaling $9.8 million.

"This contract provides Raytheon with funding to continue work on this important program with our partners in Japan," said Frank Wyatt, Raytheon Missile Systems vice president of Air and Missile Defense Systems. "The Block IIA missile will provide a greatly increased engagement capability against a wider variety of ballistic missile threats, giving the warfighter increased flexibility to protect U.S. and allied forces."

Raytheon and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, under contract to the MDA and Japan's Ministry of Defense, are developing the next-generation SM-3 Block IIA missile, scheduled to begin flight testing in 2014. The new missile will include larger second- and third-stage rocket motors and a larger kinetic warhead to provide a greater area of defense against sophisticated threats. Successful reviews of the motors and missile electronics were conducted jointly by both governments in July and August.

SM-3 is being developed and deployed as part of the MDA and the U.S. Navy's Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System and is a critical component in the Phased Adaptive Approach (PAA) for protection of Europe. The SM-3 Block IIA program is an outgrowth of the U.S. and Japanese cooperative research program. Upon completion of the flight test program, the missiles will be deployed on Aegis ships of both nations to defend against short- to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats in the ascent and midcourse phases of flight.  

SM-3 Block IIA will be deployed in 2018 as part of phase three of the European PAA. It will be deployed on Aegis ships and at various land-based locations in Europe.

Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 88 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 75,000 people worldwide.

www.raytheon.com

SOURCE Raytheon Company