SM-3 Intercepts Ballistic Missile Target During Japanese Test at Sea

The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and the United States Missile Defense Agency completed a successful intercept flight test in cooperation with the U.S. Navy off the coast of Kauai in Hawaii.  A Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) SM-3® Block IB missile intercepted a ballistic missile target, marking the first time Japan has tested the sophisticated interceptor as announced by MDA.

The target missile was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii , and the interceptor was launched from the Japanese ship JS Atago (DDG-177), verifying the newest ballistic missile defense engagement capability of the upgraded destroyer. The flight test mission is a significant milestone in missile defense cooperation between Japan and the U.S. Japan currently employs the SM-3 Block IA interceptor, but the IB variant's improved two-color seeker and upgraded throttling divert and attitude control system enables engagements with a larger set of threats.

"The Standard Missile-3 family consistently demonstrates capability against sophisticated threats, both on land and at sea," said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence , Raytheon Missile Systems president. "This test underlines the importance of allied ballistic missile defense interoperability and the powerful results we generate when we work together with our allies."

The SM-3 is produced at Raytheon's Space Factory in Tucson, Arizona , and the company's integration facility in Huntsville, Alabama .