Pentagon Inks Deals to Boost Production of Standard Missile-3 Components
The Pentagon has signed framework agreements with Boeing and RTX to boost production of critical components for the Standard Missile-3, the Navy's primary ship-launched interceptor against ballistic missiles. The deals cover avionics and ejector assemblies that Boeing supplies to prime contractor Raytheon, an RTX business, for both the SM-3 Block IB and the newer Block IIA.
The agreements run for seven years and allow Boeing to start building components before a contract is in place while the three sides negotiate a multiyear deal. This long-term commitment aims to give suppliers enough certainty to invest in added capacity.
Neither the Pentagon nor Boeing released dollar figures or quantities, but officials say this gives suppliers a clear demand signal to build and deliver SM-3 interceptors at the levels needed to counter threats.