The Boeing Co. [BA] delivered the first Block 1A Standard Missile-3 Kinetic Warhead (SM-3 KW) to Raytheon Co. [RTN].

The SM-3 KW provides a sea-based defensive intercept capability against short- to medium-range ballistic missiles. Boeing is teamed with Raytheon, the SM-3 prime contractor, to build the Kinetic Warhead.

The SM-3 is fired from Navy ships equipped with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense weapon system built by Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT].

SM-3 Block 1A upgrades include improvements such as increased reliability and supportability.

Boeing has been partnered with Raytheon on the SM-3 program since 1996, and is under subcontract to integrate and test the KW hardware. Boeing is responsible for the KW avionics, guidance and control hardware and software, as well as the ejection subsystem. In addition to SM-3 round integration, Raytheon provides the KW infrared seeker, signal and image processor, and the integrated KW software.