USA: Aerojet Finalizes Critical Design Review of SM-3 Block IIA TDACS

Aerojet Rocketdyne, a GenCorp company, announced that it successfully conducted its Throttling Divert and Attitude Control System (TDACS) Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA guided missile program. The SM-3 program is managed by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) with Raytheon Missile Systems as the prime contractor.

 “The on-time completion of this CDR demonstrates the readiness of this next generation propulsion system for qualification testing and subsequent manufacturing,” said Dave Parker, executive director of SM-3 programs for Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Missile Defense and Strategic Systems business unit. “We’re extremely proud of our TDACS product line, knowing that the warfighter will have the pinpoint control needed to defend the United States and its allies. The proven SM-3 Block IB TDACS flight test performance coupled with our Block IIA TDACS ground test performance validates this state-of-the-art propulsion technology for future DACS systems.”

The SM-3 Block IIA TDACS is being developed at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Sacramento facility, where the SM-3 Block IB TDACS also is produced.

SM-3 Block IIA guided missile, developed as a SM-3 Cooperative Development Program with Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MOD), uses hit-to-kill technology to destroy targets. The guided missile is designed to engage threat ballistic missiles outside of the Earth’s atmosphere during the mid-course phase of an incoming missile.

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Press Release, September 5, 2013