News Review: Raytheon delivers first SM-6 to US Navy | ADM June 2011

Raytheon has delivered the first SM-6 production round to the US Navy.

“Five years ago, Raytheon promised the US Navy that SM-6 would be delivered in March 2011, and we delivered on that promise,” Frank Wyatt, vice president of Raytheon’s Air and Missile Defense Systems product line, said. “Raytheon delivered the SM-6 to our customer and met cost expectations for system development and demonstration. Now the US Navy has a missile that provides an umbrella of protection against the full spectrum of air threats.”

The SM-6, which is also expected to arm the RAN ’s three Hobart-class Air Warfare Destroyers, leverages the legacy Standard Missile airframe and propulsion elements while incorporating the advanced signal processing and guidance control capabilities of Raytheon’s AIM-120 AMRAA M. While it provides wide area air and anti-ship missile defence, the SM-6 s not designed for ballistic missile defence.

“SM-6 is a remarkable missile because it combines the reliability of time-tested systems with all the latest advancements in missile technology,” Wyatt said. “This missile can use both active and semi-active modes, giving the warfighter an enhanced ability to reach remote targets.”