The US Navy made remarkable Weapon achievement this week. The US Navy has successfully test-fired its sea-based Raytheon-built SM-6 interceptor off the coast of Scotland in Europe.
According to Sputnik News International, the US Navy and partners US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) have test-fired the Raytheon-built SM-6 missile from an Aegis-equipped Arleigh-Burke class destroyer off the coast of Scotland. The test was conducted as part of its ongoing flight certification process, according to the US Navy’s 6th Fleet.
About the Raytheon anti-ballistic missile
First introduced in 2009 by the US defense giant Raytheon, the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) or RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM for short), is an anti-ballistic missile interceptor. The missile has been designed primarily to intercept nuclear-equipped ballistic missiles descending towards ground targets at a very high speed. It can be deployed by Aegis system-equipped destroyers or land-based Aegis Ashore installations.
Originally, the missile was designed for extended range anti-air warfare purposes, providing defense against all types of fixed and rotary-winged aircraft, unmanned aircraft, and later against anti-ship cruise missiles.
According to Raytheon, the SM-6 is the only missile in the world arsenal that's capable of performing anti-surface warfare, anti-air warfare, and terminal ballistic defense or anti-ballistic missile defense.
The 3,300-pound, 6.6-meter long interceptor is a two-stage missile, featuring a booster stage and second stage rockets on board.
The missile is also equipped with an active radar homing seeker from the AIM-120C AMRAAM, which increases the accuracy of the SM-6 missile against moving targets and also other targets that beyond the effective range of the launching platform.
The Raytheon-built SM-6 missile completed its final land-based fire test last June.
However, it still needs to complete some sea-based fire tests in order to finalize and complete the ongoing certification process on the missile’s avionics system. That certification is the number one requirement for the missile before it enters low-rate initial production for the US Navy service.
This is not the first time the US Navy has conducted its SM-6 missile test. The US Navy also conducted a test with the Raytheon-built SM-6 missile last August. That test involved an SM-6 interceptor fired from the USS John Paul Jones in the Pacific Ocean. The test has successfully thwarted a simulated ballistic missile attack on the US homeland.
The SM-6 not a part of the latest US-led military exercise
In other US military-related news, the US Navy, along with Belgium, Germany, Canada, France, Denmark, The Netherlands, UK, Spain, and Italy have conducted a huge military exercise known as the Formidable Shield.
More than 3,300 servicemen from the participating countries have come and gathered in the western part of Scotland to train for a massive live fire exercise, which involved 14 warships and 10 aircrafts from participating countries. However, as mentioned earlier by the Sputnik News, the SM-6 missile wasn’t a part of the massive military exercise.
According to RT, the US-led Formidable Shield featured some integrated air and defense situations, which the US Navy has demonstrated what it called a smart defense concept.
In the smart defense concept, a number of Navy warships served as air defense units, protecting key naval assets against aggressors. The US-led Formidable Shield first started on September 24 and is scheduled to conclude by October 18, the RT reported.
