US Navy awards Raytheon $24.4B for SM-6 missiles to replenish depleted stockpiles

The US Navy has awarded Raytheon a $24.4 billion contract for SM-6 interceptors, a major procurement aimed at rebuilding munitions inventories drawn down by Middle East conflicts. The scale of the deal signals sustained demand for advanced air-defense missiles and underscores the Pentagon's focus on stockpile replenishment. The contract's size and multi-year nature suggest a long-term commitment to high-end missile production, with implications for defense industrial capacity.