The contracts mark the initial phase of development, during which both companies will verify design requirements and complete a Systems Requirements Review. This process will help refine and validate the technical concepts needed for full-scale production.
Barbara Borgonovi, president of Naval Power at Raytheon, emphasised the strategic nature of the decision. “These contracts are an important step toward increasing capacity and source options to meet global demand for critical defense systems, such as Standard Missile,” she said.
Borgonovi also noted Raytheon’s commitment to strengthening its supplier network. “In addition to dual sourcing, we’re doubling down with support and oversight of our supply base and making strategic investments to address constraints and reduce risk so we can deliver more capabilities, faster.”
Raytheon intends for this early stage to demonstrate that both suppliers can meet design and production expectations. The initiative also supports broader efforts to ensure timely and reliable delivery of defence technologies.
