As usual, a good topic.
SM-3 Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile Kinetic Warhead: Bringing Navy Theater Ballistic Missile Defense to Reality.
Navy Theater Wide (NTW)
The United States Navy is developing STANDARD Missile-3 (SM-3) as part of the Navy Theater Wide (NTW) system that will provide allied forces and U.S. protection from theater ballistic missiles. The SM-3 Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP) Kinetic Warhead (KW) is designed to intercept an incoming theater ballistic missile outside the earthís atmosphere. SM-3 is under development by Raytheon at its Missile Systems business unit in Tucson, Arizona. The NTW system builds upon the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization/Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (SDIO/BMDO) investment in LEAP technology, the Navy's STANDARD Missile and existing infrastructure, and includes the current and future fleet of AEGIS cruisers and destroyers. The maturity of these system elements make NTW the most viable contingency deployment capability available.
SM-3 Kinetic Warhead
The SM-3 LEAP KW is a highly modular, compact, space tested kinetic warhead designed to defend against medium and long-range ballistic missile attacks. Raytheon has engineered two prior generations of LEAP designs starting in 1985 under contracts with SDIO and BMDO. This third generation LEAP design integrates the teamed experience of Raytheon and Boeing in KW vehicle designs and Alliant Techsystemsí expertise in Solid Divert and Attitude Control (SDACS).
