Orbital ATK has received a contract valued at up to $400m from the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to supply medium-range ballistic missile target rockets.
The development and production contract was awarded under the medium-range ballistic missile type 3 configuration 2 (MRBM T3c2) target programme.
Under the terms of the deal, the company will provide medium-range target rockets to support the testing of the country’s missile defence systems.
Orbital ATK Launch Vehicles Division vice-president and general manager Rich Straka said: “Orbital ATK is honoured to have been selected by MDA for the competitively awarded MRBM contract to supply a cutting-edge target system that performs to the demanding requirements of our customer.
“These advanced medium-range targets will help MDA further validate the United States’ ability to defend deployed forces and allies against missile attack.”
The MRBM T3c2 contract includes an initial order for vehicle development and production over a four-year period, as well as options for follow-on vehicle production and other activities through 2024, the company said.
Orbital ATK Launch Vehicles Division business development vice-president Mark Ogren said: “This programme capitalises on our core competency of providing innovative rocket designs that use proven technology to fit our customer’s needs.”
The company designs and produces its target vehicles and missile defence interceptors at its engineering and manufacturing facility in Chandler, Arizona, US.
To date, Orbital ATK has designed and developed more than 200 targets, which include air-launched intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) target, the inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) target and the patriot target vehicle (PTV).
The company also provides the Orbital ATK Boost Vehicle (OABV) interceptor for MDA as part of the agency’s ground-based midcourse defense (GMD) industry team led by Boeing.
