SM-3 Evolution Chart The SM-3 is a defensive weapon used by the U.S. Navy to destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles. T...
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| SM-3 Evolution Chart |
The SM-3 is a defensive weapon used by the U.S. Navy to destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The SM-3 destroys incoming ballistic missile threats by colliding with them, a concept sometimes described as “hitting a bullet with a bullet.” The impact is the equivalent of a 10-ton truck traveling at 600 mph.
Facts about the SM-3 family of missiles:
- Deployed today, the SM-3 Block IA is the first variant of the missile.
- The only defensive weapon of its kind, it is used by both the U.S. and Japanese navies to destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles with ranges up to 5,500 km (3,420 statute miles).
- Scheduled to deploy in 2015, the SM-3 Block IB is the second-generation variant.
- It has an enhanced, two-color infrared seeker and a Throttleable Divert and Attitude Control System, which uses short bursts of precision propulsion to steer the missile toward incoming targets.
- The SM-3 Block IB just completed two back-to-back successful flight tests this summer and is on track for a 2015 deployment.
- Scheduled to deploy in 2018, the SM-3 Block IIA will have a 21 inch 2nd and 3rd stage rocket motor and a larger, more capable kinetic warhead.
- Earlier variants have 13.5 inch 2nd and 3rd stage rocket motors.
- Raytheon’s partner in Japan is Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
- All variants of the SM-3 can be launched from the same vertical launch system
- More than 130 SM-3s have been delivered to U.S. and Japanese navies ahead of schedule and under cost.
- Raytheon is on track to deliver the next-generation SM-3 Block IB in 2015.
- SM-3 Block IB will be deployed in both sea-based and land-based modes.
