A Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) built by Raytheon, an RTX business, intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile target at sea in its final seconds of flight, after being fired from the USS Preble (DDG 88).
It is said that this test verified some of the missile’s enhanced capabilities when launched from a Baseline 9.C2 variant of the Aegis Combat System.
Kim Ernzen, president of Raytheon Naval Power: “This test demonstrated that the latest versions of the SM-6 and combat system provide the critical capability to destroy an incoming sophisticated missile threat. Raytheon is committed to ensuring our technology stays ahead of evolving threats and is available to sailors as quickly as possible.”
FTM-32 was the seventh flight test of the SM-6 against ballistic missile targets and the fourth test utilizing the Dual II (Block IA) configuration.
The company made the following statement on the SM-6:
“The SM-6 missile can perform anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare and advanced ballistic missile defense at sea. This latest flight test, designated as Flight Test Aegis Weapon System (FTM)-32, involved the SM-6 Dual II (Block IA) configuration with newly qualified software that significantly enhances the missile’s capabilities for the U.S. Navy fleet.
Deployed on U.S. Navy ships, SM-6 delivers a proven over-the-horizon offensive and defensive capability by leveraging the time-tested Standard Missile airframe and propulsion system. It’s the only missile that supports anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare and sea-based terminal ballistic missile defense in one solution, and it’s enabling the U.S. and its allies to cost-effectively increase the offensive might of surface forces.”
The U.S. Department of Defense has approved the sale of SM-6 to several allied nations.