SM-6 undergoes MDA testing
The US Navy has successfully tested the ability of the Raytheon Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) to intercept and eliminate short-range ballistic missile targets at sea, Raytheon announced on 3 August.
The test for the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) marked the first ballistic missile defence (BMD) test of its kind for the SM-6 and demonstrated that modified the SM-6 could eliminate ballistic missile threats in their final phase of flight.
The MDA Sea-Based Terminal programme protects against ballistic missile threats with SM-6 missiles integrated into an Aegis weapon system. The modified missiles, known as SM-6 Dual 1, are on track to achieve initial operating capability in 2016.
In three other tests, the US Navy successfully fired two more SM-6s that engaged cruise missile targets, and an SM-2 Block IV that intercepted its ballistic missile target.
Taylor Lawrence, president, Raytheon Missile Systems, said: ‘SM-6 is the only missile in the world that can do both anti-air warfare and ballistic missile defense from sea. US Navy commanders want both capability and flexibility to meet a wide variety of missions, and that’s exactly what SM-6 offers.’
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