"We expect to deliver the first flight test rounds to the MDA this summer," said Frank Wyatt, vice president of Raytheon's Air and Missile Defense Systems product line.

"The SM-3 Block IB will provide an increased engagement capability against a wider variety of ballistic missile threats, giving the warfighter increased flexibility to protect U.S. and allied forces."

Raytheon's next-generation SM-3 Block IB maintains the reliability of the Block IA variant while incorporating an advanced two-color infrared seeker, an advanced signal processor, and a new throttleable divert and attitude control system. SM-3 Block IB will be deployed in both sea-based and land-based modes as part of phase two of the current administration's Phased Adaptive Approach for missile defense.

Raytheon is developing SM-3 as part of the MDA's Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, and more than 130 SM-3s have been delivered to date. The missiles are deployed with both U.S. and Japanese navies to defend against short- to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats in the ascent and midcourse phases of flight.

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