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The Missile Defense Agency has contracted Raytheon for $267 million to produce 23 additional SM-3 Block IB interceptors, raising the contract value to about $3.31 billion. This includes costs to restart the production line, ensuring operational readiness for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system.

The total number of interceptors under this contract is now 78. Production will occur primarily in Tucson, Arizona, and Huntsville, Alabama, with work continuing through May 2030. The SM-3 Block IB variant features enhancements that improve target discrimination, and it can be launched from naval and land-based Aegis installations.