Raytheon Anti-Missile Warhead Has Guidance Flaw, MDA Says

The latest model of a Raytheon Co. anti-missile warhead failed in the final seconds of a $300 million flight test last December because of a “guidance error,” according to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency.

The warhead “successfully selected the correct target object, but a guidance error occurred in the final seconds before the planned intercept,” said MDA spokesman Richard Lehner in an e-mail statement.

The guidance system had a fault “related to outer space- related dynamic environments,” Lehner said, without elaboration. The specifics are classified, he said.

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