The U.S. Navy successfully executed four flight tests of the surface-to-air
Standard Missile-6 Block I (SM-6 Blk I) off the Hawaiian coast between
Jan. 11 and 22. These tests, designated Alpha, Bravo, Delta, and Golf,
are part of the SM-6 Blk I Follow-on Operational Test and Evaluation
(FOT&E) events planned to assess missile performance.
|
"These
flight tests, once again, demonstrate the versatility and capability
that the SM-6 provides for our Navy's fleet defense," said Capt.
Michael Ladner, Program Executive Office for Integrated Warfare Systems
(PEO IWS) major program manager for Surface Ship Weapons. "I'm
extremely proud of our Standard Missile team for their hard work and
efforts in achieving four more successful SM-6 missions. These tests
mark the longest downrange and cross-range engagements of the SM-6 to
date."
The SM-6 provides an over-the-horizon engagement capability when launched
from an Aegis warship and uses the latest in hardware and software missile
technology to provide needed capabilities against evolving air threats.
Flight test Alpha was the longest downrange, and flight test Bravo was
the longest cross-range intercepts with an SM-6 to date. Along with
flight tests Alpha and Bravo, flight test Delta successfully intercepted
two targets with simultaneous engagements, and flight test Golf successfully
intercepted a target with electronic counter-measures.
"I consider these tests a major milestone and a confirmation of
how far the team has come since this program first started," said
Kirk Johnson, PEO IWS Surface Ship Missiles principal assistant program
manager. "These program accomplishments are a testament to many
years of hard work and dedication of the entire Standard Missile team."
The SM-6 is the sixth fielded variant of the Standard Missile family.
The SM-6 program has completed development and achieved Initial Operational
Capability in November 2013. It is currently in the FOT&E phase,
with a projected Full Operational Capability declaration date during
the first quarter of fiscal year 2018.
About the Standard Missile-6
SM-6 delivers a proven over-the-horizon air defense capability by leveraging
the time-tested advantages of the Standard Missile's airframe and propulsion
-- The SM-6 uses both active and semiactive guidance modes and advanced
fuzing techniques.
-- It incorporates the advanced signal processing and guidance control
capabilities from Raytheon's Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.
|
