Article Posted on : - Jul 08, 2010

Standard Missile-6. A file photo.

TUCSON (BNS): US Navy has awarded an approx $368 million contract to Raytheon for the construction of Standard Missile-6 systems.

Under the three year contract, Raytheon has to perform potential modifications for low rate initial production of missiles, spare parts, system and design engineering efforts.

"Low rate initial production begins our process of delivering this integral weapon system to the war-fighter, Standard Missile-6 remains on schedule, and we brought in the first three years of production well under the Navy's budget,” Frank Wyatt, vice president of Raytheon's Air and Missile Defense Systems product line, said in a company news release.

"Standard Missile-6 is in development testing now and will go into operational testing in fiscal year 2011, with initial operational capability by March 2011," Wyatt added.

The SM-6 missile will fulfill the US Navy's requirement for an extended-range anti-air warfare missile.

The missile system will provide a defensive capability against fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and anti-ship cruise missiles.

The delivery of first Standard Missile-6 to US Navy is scheduled for early 2011.