The Missile Defense Agency has once again delayed a decision to transition Raytheon's Standard Missile-3 Block IB guided missile to full-rate production and has scrapped near-term plans to significantly increase annual purchases of the most advanced fielded Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense interceptor in its new five-year spending blueprint. The Pentagon is seeking funding for 34 SM-3 Block IB interceptors in its fiscal year 2018 spending request, fewer than the annual rate of 52 the government expected to be buying at...
