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2016-04-03

Standard Missile-6: One Missile, Many Missions

The missile has been built for anti-air warfare and can also be used against ships at sea

Raytheon’s Standard Missile-6, already deployed in anti-air warfare and as an interceptor for ballistic missiles at sea, has now proven effective against targets on the ocean’s surface.

In a test off the coast of Hawaii, an SM-6 missile engaged and sunk its first-ever surface target – the decommissioned guided missile frigate USS Reuben James. That test demonstrated SM-6’s capability in anti-surface warfare.

The test comes as the US Navy strives for what it calls distributed lethality, or the ability to strike from any ship and from any location. That requires using ships in dispersed formations to counter threats from missiles, aircraft, submarines and surface ships.

“In order to have more power in more places, the Navy is increasing the offensive might of the surface force,” said Dr. Mitch Stevison, Vice President of Raytheon Air and Missile Defense.

Data gathered from the test will be assessed to examine how the missile and its supporting systems work together. Ultimately, the Navy will use the information to make recommendations for the development of future systems and standards.

“The SM-6 is a very capable missile,” Stevison said. “One missile with one hardware configuration performs all three missions.”

In separate tests, the missile, which is deployed on cruisers and destroyers, broke its previous distance record for engaging a target by demonstrating both maximum down-range and maximum cross-range intercepts.

“The missile was put through its paces and it exceeded all expectations during rigorous and complex multiple target scenarios,” said Mike Campisi, Raytheon Missile Systems’ Senior SM-6 Program Director.

The missile destroyed five targets in “over-the-horizon, engage-on-remote” missions. Those tests, in part, confirmed SM-6’s ability to engage threats beyond the sight of operators on the ship, using its own radar.

“Now, through pairing it with real-time sensors, SM-6 no longer relies on the ship to provide targeting data,” Campisi said. “The missile activates its own radar to engage targets.”

The USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53), configured with the advanced Aegis Baseline 9.C1, executed the distance-breaking missions as part of final testing that will likely lead to full operational capability in 2017.

This year will continue to be significant for the versatile missile. Raytheon’s SM-6 “Dual 1,” part of the Missile Defense Agency’s Sea-Based Terminal programme, is slated for additional testing. The programme protects against ballistic missiles in their final, or terminal, phase of flight, and it also includes anti-air warfare – combat against airborne threats such as helicopters, planes, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles.

Multi-mission Test

“SM-6 is an advanced multi-mission missile built upon decades of technological innovation and best practices,” said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, President of Raytheon Missile Systems. “Its success showcases the value in using mature components in innovative ways.”

Deployed on cruisers and destroyers, SM-6 currently provides the US Navy fleet with air defense against fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, land-attack and anti-ship cruise missiles in flight, over both sea and land.

“Our objective was to demonstrate the SM-6’s ability to intercept ballistic missiles in their terminal or final seconds of flight,” said Lawrence.

SM-6 is a key component in the US Navy’s Naval Integrated Fire Control – Counter Air (NIFC-CA), providing the surface Navy with an increased battle space against over-the-horizon, anti-air warfare threats.

SM-6 has also been selected to fulfil the US Navy’s Sea-Based Terminal (SBT) role and will provide defence against ballistic missiles in their terminal phase of flight, succeeding the SM-2 Block IV missile. The dual mission capability (long range air defense and terminal ballistic missile defense) is called SM-6 Dual 1.

The US Navy fired an SM-6 “Dual-1” in July 2015 for the first time, intercepting and destroying a short-range ballistic missile target at sea in its final seconds of flight.

SM-6 is the only missile in the world that can perform both anti-air warfare and terminal ballistic missile defense from sea. Now it is adding anti-surface warfare to its repertoire. The system’s operational modes include semi-active homing and active homing to provide highly accurate target engagement.

Vertically launched from a MK 41 VLS canister, SM-6 is compatible with existing AEGIS cruisers and destroyers and future cruisers and destroyers.

The US Navy awarded Raytheon US$270 million for SM-6 production in late February. Delivery of up to 113 missiles will begin in 2018. The award marked the fourth year of full-rate production for the multi-mission missile. SM-6 was first deployed in 2013. Raytheon has delivered more than 250 missiles to date, with many years of production on the horizon. SM-6 is currently deployable on 60 surface combatants in the fleet.

SM-6 leverages the legacy Standard Missile airframe and propulsion elements, while incorporating the advanced signal processing and guidance control capabilities of the Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). SM-6 provides Joint Force and Strike Force Commanders fleet air defense against fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, land-attack anti-ship cruise missiles in flight and terminal ballistic missiles, both over sea and land.

SM-6 delivers a multi-mission, proven over-the-horizon air defense capability by leveraging the time-tested advantages of the Standard Missile’s airframe and propulsion. It uses both active and semiactive guidance modes and advanced fuzing techniques.

The missile uses the airframe of the earlier SM-2ER Block IV (RIM-156A) missile, adding the active radar homing seeker from the AIM-120C AMRAAM in place of the semi-active seeker of the previous design. This improves the capability of the Standard missile against highly agile targets, and targets beyond the effective range of the launching vessels’ target illumination radars. Initial operating capability was planned for 2013 and was achieved on November 27, 2013. The SM-6 is not meant to replace the SM-2 series of missiles, but will serve along side and provide extended range and increased firepower.

The SM-6 offers extended range over previous SM-2 series missiles, primarily being able to intercept very high altitude or sea-skimming anti-ship missiles, and is also capable of performing terminal phase ballistic missile defense. It can discriminate targets using its dual-mode seeker, with the semi-active seeker relying on a ship-based illuminator to highlight the target, and the active seeker having the missile itself send out an electromagnetic signal; the active seeker has the ability to detect a land-based cruise missile amid ground features, even from behind a mountain.

Shatters engagement distance record

Recently, Raytheon’s Standard Missile-6, successfully engaged five targets and shattered its previous maximum engagement range record, set in June of 2014.

This test series, supported by the Cooperative Engagement Capability, validated the tactical warfighting capability of SM-6, by demonstrating both maximum down range and a maximum cross range intercepts in over-the-horizon, engage-on-remote missions.

“These tests demonstrate the full warfighting potential of SM-6 and its proven multi-mission value,” said Dr. Taylor Lawrence, Raytheon Missile Systems president. “The versatility of SM-6 makes it deployable on 60 surface combatants in the fleet, providing additional layers of capability and protection.”

The USS JOHN PAUL JONES (DDG 53), configured with AEGIS Baseline 9.C1, executed the series of four missions with five SM-6 missiles for Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation, part of the final testing leading to a likely declaration of Full Operational Capability in 2017.

The USS GRIDLEY (DDG 101) was on station to perform as the AEGIS assist ship for the engage-on-remote missions. The tests also proved the ability of SM-6 to conduct complex, multiple target scenarios.

SM-6 is a key component of the U.S. Navy’s Naval Integrated Fire Control – Counter Air mission, providing U.S. Navy sailors and their vessels extended range protection against fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise and ballistic missiles. The SM-6 deployed for the first time in 2013, and Raytheon has delivered more than 250 missiles. The missile’s final assembly takes place at Raytheon’s state-of-the-art SM-6 and SM-3 all-up-round production facility at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala.

Reference Text / Photos: www.raytheon.com

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