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Raytheon has been awarded a US$344 million (AU$512 million) contract for the development of two missile variants – the SM-2 Block IIICU and SM-6 Block IU – which will be based on a common guidance section.
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The updated variants will share a newly designed guidance section, target detection device, independent flight termination system and electronics unit, with the commonality enabling Raytheon to manufacture both missiles on a common production line, providing flexibility, scalability, and cost reductions.
The development program is largely funded by foreign military sales, with the first users of these updated missiles being the US, Australia, Canada, Japan, and the Republic of Korea.
Kim Ernzen, president of Naval Power, Raytheon, said, “Upgrades under this contract will allow us to increase speed and efficiency in production of these weapon systems that are integral to the defence of the US Navy and our allies.”
Work on this contract is being conducted in Tucson, Arizona, while the common subsections will be developed for both missile configurations under this award. There is a follow-on contract expected later this year which will complete the missile level qualification events as well as at-sea flight tests specific to the SM-2 Block IIICU configuration.
“It’s also a very important step forward for our international customers, as this will be the first time that Standard Missile active radar technology will be fielded by the US’ international allies,” Ernzen explained.
The SM-2 missile is a cornerstone of a ship’s layered defence. It provides firepower against high-speed, highly manoeuvrable anti-ship missiles and aircraft and protects naval assets that give warfighters greater operational flexibility.
The missile can be launched from the Mk.41 Vertical Launcher System (VLS) and Mk.57 Advanced VLS. The SM-2 will remain a primary anti-air warfare effector for US Navy’s Aegis destroyers and cruisers and allies, including the Australian Navy’s Hobart Class destroyers for several more decades.
Meanwhile, the SM-6 is the only weapon that is capable of performing anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare and ballistic missile defence or sea-based terminal missions, offering navies more flexibility in limited ship space in the existing VLS loadouts.
SM-6 is deployable on 60 surface ships across the US Navy, with Raytheon having delivered more than 500 missiles to the US Navy.
