Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems has reached a key milestone in developing a new missile interceptor designed to simultaneously destroy several objects in one threat.
Raytheon said Friday it has completed the first program planning review with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency on the future Multi-Object Kill Vehicle (MOKV) concept.
The latest progress keeps the program on track for a concept review in December, the company said.
In August, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin and Boeing each were awarded contracts worth about $10 million to develop concepts for the multi-object kill vehicle, which is designed to destroy target missiles in space by sheer impact.
Raytheon also released the first renderings of the new kill vehicle, which show a design that releases six separate kill vehicles in space. The new system will use advanced sensor, divert-and-attitude flight control and communication technologies, the company said.
Raytheon already makes single-target kill vehicles for the Missile Defense Agencyβs Ground-based Missile Defense system and its Standard Missile-3, part of the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system.
The company also is working on a redesigned kill vehicle to replace its Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, a part of the ground-based system that suffered three failed consecutive intercepts before a successful test last year.
Raytheon and Lockheed were competing to develop a multiple-warhead missile interceptor concept called the Multiple Kill Vehicle, before it was canceled as part of budget cuts in 2009.
The MOKV development work is being performed in Tucson, where the company also produces its current kill vehicles in a specialized factory.
