Japan Orders SM-3 Block IIA Missiles for $866M

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced the sale of SM-3 Block IIA missiles worth nearly $866 million to Japan.

“Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a sole-source, hybrid (cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee) contract for $866,628,225 to perform the manufacture and assembly of Standard Missile-3 Block IIA All-Up Rounds for the U.S. government and Japan Ministry of Defense (JMOD) Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case requirements,” a U.S. Department of Defense said in a release.

Work is expected to be completed by 31 December, 2026.

The SM-3 Block IIA is being developed co-operatively by the U.S. and Japan to defeat short-, medium-, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. It is an interceptor designed to operate as part of the Aegis ballistic missile defense (BMD) system and can be launched from Aegis-equipped ships and Aegis Ashore BMD sites.