“RTX’s SM-6 Triumphs: Striking Down Ballistic Missiles Over Water!”

A Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) designed by Raytheon, an RTX subsidiary, thwarted a medium-range ballistic missile target at sea in its final moments of ascent, after being launched from the USS Preble (DDG 88).

This evaluation confirmed several of the missile’s improved functionalities when deployed from a Baseline 9.C2 variant of the Aegis Combat System.

The SM-6 missile is capable of executing anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, and advanced ballistic missile defense at sea. This latest flight evaluation, tagged as Flight Test Aegis Weapon System (FTM)-32, featured the SM-6 Dual II (Block IA) variant with newly certified software that significantly amplifies the missile’s performance for the U.S. Navy fleet.

“This trial illustrated that the latest iterations of the SM-6 and the combat system offer the essential capability to neutralize an incoming advanced missile threat,” stated Kim Ernzen, President of Raytheon Naval Power.

“Raytheon is dedicated to ensuring our technology remains ahead of emerging threats and is accessible to sailors as quickly as possible,” she added.

FTM-32 marked the seventh flight trial of the SM-6 against ballistic missile targets and the fourth evaluation using the Dual II (Block IA) configuration.

Deployed on U.S. Navy vessels, the SM-6 provides a validated over-the-horizon offensive and defensive capability by utilizing the established Standard Missile airframe and propulsion system. It stands as the sole missile that accommodates anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare, and sea-based terminal ballistic missile defense in a single solution, enabling the U.S. and its allies to effectively enhance the offensive power of surface forces.

The U.S. Department of Defense has sanctioned the sale of the SM-6 to various allied nations.

Raytheon, an RTX business, serves as a foremost provider of offensive and defense solutions to support the U.S. government, our allies, and partners in safeguarding their national sovereignty and ensuring their security.

For over a century, Raytheon has pioneered new technologies and refined existing capabilities in integrated air and missile defense, intelligent weapons, missiles, advanced sensors and radars, cybersecurity tools for both offense and defense, interceptors, space-based systems, hypersonics, and missile defense across land, sea, air, and space.

With more than 185,000 global employees, and through industry-leading subsidiaries (Collins Aerospace, Pratt & Whitney, and Raytheon), RTX is progressing aviation, engineering integrated defense systems, and innovating next-generation technological solutions and manufacturing to assist global clients in tackling their most crucial challenges. The company, with sales reaching $69 billion in 2023, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, USA.