The U.S. Department of War (DoW), in cooperation with Boeing and RTX, announced two major framework agreements to increase production of key components of Standard Missile-3 Block IB (SM-3 IB) and increase production of components for Standard Missile-3 Block IIA (SM-3 IIA).
Both agreements will strengthen production of the series of critical ship-fired surface-to-air interceptors that underpin the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System and form the backbone of U.S. sea-based missile defense at home and abroad.
“These agreements ensure our Warfighters get the munitions they need to win,” said Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment.
“We are stabilizing our supply chains, expanding munitions production and putting our entire defense industrial base on a wartime footing,” he added.
Production of the SM-3 Block IIA and Block IB, a backbone of U.S. missile defense, will accelerate under these new frameworks, with Boeing driving component manufacturing. This directly accelerates the pipeline from the factory floor to the fleet.
The DoW’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy (ATS) enabled these agreements, removing red tape and allowing the Department to engage with suppliers at every level of the industrial base.
Under the agreements, Boeing will boost output of avionics and ejector assemblies for the SM-3 Block IB and Block IIA variants to enable increased production of the interceptors that form the backbone of U.S. sea-based missile defense at home and abroad.
“This gives us a clear demand signal to build and deliver SM‑3 interceptors at the levels needed to counter threats,” said Bob Ciesla, Vice President of Boeing Precision Engagement Systems.
“The SM‑3 is an essential part of the layered air and missile defense architecture that protects the U.S. and its allies worldwide,” he noted.
The SM-3 framework builds on Boeing’s existing agreement with the DoW and Lockheed Martin to increase production of PAC-3® Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) seekers. (U.S. Department of War; Boeing; Photo: A Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) launches during a maritime test exercise © U.S. Navy)
