BAE begins production of interceptor seeker

BAE Systems said today it has received a $62.3 million contract from defense company Lockheed Martin Corp. to begin production on a high-altitude interceptor seeker.

Assembly, integration, and testing of production equipment will take place at BAE Systems facilities in Nashua, N.H.; Lexington, Mass.; and Johnson City, N.Y., BAE Systems said.

The work is on the production of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, Interceptor Seeker, a key component of missile defense system.

The seeker provides infrared imagery of the targeted warhead to the missile to guide the interceptor to the target, BAE Systems said.

The first THAAD systems will be fielded in fiscal 2009 and ready for worldwide deployment in fiscal 2010, the company said.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)