Raytheon to build more SM-6 Block IA missiles for US Navy under $333 million contract
The contract for SM-6 missiles is expected to be completed by 2027. (Photo: Raytheon)
The Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) is a surface-to-air supersonic missile in service with the US Navy (USN), launched from cruisers and destroyers, capable of engaging crewed and uncrewed aircraft and land-attack or anti-ship cruise missiles in flight.
The USN has placed a $333 million contract with Raytheon, an RTX company, for SM-6 Block IA missiles, also designated as the RIM-174 Standard extended range active missile.
Deployed on USN ships, SM-6 is designed to provide over-the-horizon offensive and defensive capability by using the time-tested Standard Missile airframe and propulsion system.
It supports anti-air and anti-surface warfare and sea-based terminal ballistic missile defence operations in one solution.
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SM-6 has been successfully fired from various USN ships, uncrewed vessels and launchers on land.
In March 2024, SM-6 demonstrated its anti-missile capabilities by successfully intercepting a medium-range ballistic missile target at sea during the Flight Test Aegis Weapon System (FTM)-32 exercise.
In last year’s Valiant Shield 2024, Raytheon demonstrated SM-6 in a complex missile engagement integrated with US Army’s Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) and Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS).
Using SM-6 engagement control software interfaced with Northrop Grumman’s IBCS and track data from Raytheon’s LTAMDS simulator. According to Raytheon, the test demonstrated the successful integration of these existing, respective army and navy programme capabilities.
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