Earlier this year, the service unveiled tentative plans to decide who would participate in a new cruise missile interceptor competition in FY25. Industry feedback over the coming weeks could alter that date and reshape the acquisition timetable.
In a bid to win a spot on the IFPC Inc 2 program as the second interceptor, Israel’s Rafael will throw its hat into the ring with Iron Dome’s Tamir interceptor, while Boeing and Lockheed say they may have contenders too.
While the company says a prototype launcher is "nearly complete," in the meantime the Army is receiving Raytheon’s AIM-9X interceptor with plans to confirm that thermal management problems have been solved.
“This will be a great thing for the Medium Range Intercept Capability program and for the USMC, if this occurs,” Don Kelley, the Marine Corps Program Executive Officer Land Systems Ground-Based Air Defense program manager, said of a US production facility.