The first production work on a new Standard Missile-6 system will get underway as the result of a U.S. Navy contract issued to Raytheon Missile Systems.

The development program has been underway since 2004. The Standard Missile-6 is intended to meet the Navy’s requirement for an extended-range anti-air warfare missile. The system will provide a defensive capability against fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and anti-ship cruise missiles.

“When combined with future integrated fire control, SM-6 will provide the U.S. Navy with an extended battlespace capability against over-the-horizon AAW threats,” said Frank Wyatt, vice president of Raytheon’s Naval Weapon Systems. “By taking full advantage of the Standard Missile family’s kinematics, SM-6 provides signal processing and superior guidance and control capabilities.”

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The first missiles are due to be delivered in early 2011.