Raytheon to receive up to $621.4m to test and upgrade Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle kinetic interceptors

Raytheon has secured additional funding that will allow it to test and upgrade its Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) kinetic interceptors. The deal could be worth $621.4m.

Here's What We Know

The EKV is a kinetic projectile that weighs around 64kg, is 1.4m long and 0.6m in diameter. It is designed to engage the warhead of a ballistic missile and a warhead-deployment system on targets outside the atmosphere.

About a year and a half ago, the US Department of Defence and Raytheon tested an upgraded version of the EKV. The prototype received an improved three-stage booster. The main feature of the system is the ability to operate in a two-stage mode. The absence of the need for a third stage allows the rocket to be launched earlier.

EKV is designed to improve the performance of the weapons on which the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GBM) system is based. It was deployed in 2005 and was designed to defend the country against intercontinental ballistic missiles. Iran and the DPRK were officially named as threats at the time.

Source: Pentagon