Raytheon Co., one of the world’s largest defense contractors, is offering to co-develop new interceptor missiles with Poland for its short-range and medium-range air defense requirements.
U.S. defense contractor has announced on Wednesday that it is offering a boosterless version of its SkyCeptor interceptor for the Polish government’s missile defense procurement effort known as Wisla and Narew.
SkyCeptor defeats short- to medium-range ballistic and cruise missiles and other advanced air defense threats. Raytheon is also offering SkyCeptor with a booster for the second phase of Poland’s Wisla air and missile defense program.
“Providing SkyCeptor for the Narew and Wisla programs underscores Raytheon’s commitment to collaborate with Polish industry and create advanced technology jobs for the Polish people,” said Sam Deneke, Raytheon Land Warfare Systems vice president.
SkyCeptor for Wisla Phase II offers as much as 60 percent Polish industrial workshare, with the potential to grow should the interceptor be designated for the Narew program.
SkyCeptor’s infrared and active guidance for targeting makes it effective in all weather conditions and doesn’t need a warhead. The interceptor is a derivative of the Stunner missile that destroys threats with sheer force of impact. Stunner is in full-rate production for the Israeli Defense Forces and is proven to defeat all short-range ballistic missiles, representing 92 percent of the world’s theater ballistic missile threat inventory.
The SkyCeptor interceptor could be an ideal land-based missile defense solution for other nations besides Poland, including the United States.