Article Posted on : - Mar 10, 2014

TUCSON, ARIZONA (BNS): The US Missile Defence Agency (MDA) has awarded a contract worth $350 million to Raytheon to increase its procurement of the Standard Missile-3 Block IB variants from 8 to 44.

The next-generation SM-3 Block IB variant is on track for deployment by 2015.

Designed to destroy incoming short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missile threats by colliding with them in space, a concept sometimes described as "hitting a bullet with a bullet," the missile is used by the US Navy.

The missile completed its initial operational testing in October 2013 by successfully destroying a medium range ballistic missile target.

The missile will be deployed in both afloat and ashore weapons systems.