RIM-174 ERAM Standard SM-6 | |
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USS John Paul Jones launches a RIM-174 in June 2014 | |
Type |
|
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
In service | 2013–present |
Used by | United States Navy Royal Australian Navy[1] Japan Maritime Self Defense Force[2] Republic of Korea Navy[3] |
Production history | |
Manufacturer | Raytheon |
Unit cost |
|
Produced | 2009–present |
No. built | 500[5] (1,800 planned)[6] |
Specifications | |
Mass | 3,300 lb (1,500 kg) |
Length | 21.5 ft (6.6 m) |
Diameter | 13.5 in (0.34 m) for Block IA 21 in (0.53 m) for Block IB |
Wingspan | 61.8 in (1.57 m) |
Warhead | 140 lb (64 kg) blast fragmentation[7] |
Detonation mechanism | Radar and contact fuze |
Engine | Two stage: solid rocket booster, solid rocket booster/sustainer |
Operational range | 130 nmi (150 mi; 240 km)[8] or upwards of 250 nmi (290 mi; 460 km)[9] around 500 km against land targets[10] |
Flight ceiling | >110,000 ft (34,000 m) |
Maximum speed | Mach 3.5 (2,664.2 mph; 4,287.7 km/h; 1.2 km/s) |
Guidance system | Inertial guidance, terminal active and Semi-active radar homing |
Launch platform | Mk 41 VLS (surface ship), Strategic Midrange Fires (ground launcher), Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet (air-launched),[11] |
The RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM), or Standard Missile 6 (SM-6), is a missile in current production for the United States Navy (USN). It was designed for extended-range anti-air warfare (ER-AAW) purposes, providing capability against fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-ship cruise missiles in flight, both over sea and land, and terminal ballistic missile defense. It can also be used as a high-speed anti-ship missile.[12] The missile uses the airframe of the earlier SM-2ER Block IV (RIM-156A) missile,[13] adding the active radar homing seeker from the AIM-120C AMRAAM in place of the semi‑active seeker of the previous design. This will improve the capability of the Standard missile against highly agile targets and targets beyond the effective range of the launching vessels' target illumination radars. Initial operating capability was planned for 2013 and was achieved on 27 November 2013.[14] The SM-6 is not meant to replace the SM-2 series of missiles but will serve alongside and provide extended range and increased firepower.[15] It was approved for export in January 2017.[16] In July 2024, the USN announced the operational fielding of an air-to-air variant of the SM-6, known as the AIM-174; the AIM-174 is the first dedicated long-range air-to-air missile employed by the USN since the 2004 retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix.[17]
In essence, this new missile fills the gap left by the retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix. The AIM-54 was a long-range air-to-air missile used by the U.S. Navy's F-14 Tomcat and retired in 2004 alongside the F-14. Known for its impressive range of over 100 nautical miles and multiple-target engagement capability, the AIM-54 left a significant void in long-range engagement capabilities.
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