Royal Australian Navy fires first SM-6 missile

HMAS Sydney has conducted a successful firing of a Standard Missile 6, representing a step-change in the lethality, air and missile defence, and long-range strike capability of the Royal Australian Navy’s surface-combatant fleet.

CAPTION: HMAS Sydney fires Royal Australian Navy’s first Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) during Exercise Pacific Dragon 2024. Photo by Leading Seaman Daniel Goodman.

Standard Missile 6 will be progressively deployed across RAN’s Hobart-class destroyers and, in the future, the Hunter-class frigates.​

Standard Missile 6 complements the Standard Missile 2 already in service.

The firing of Standard Missile 6 was conducted during Exercise Pacific Dragon 2024, near Hawaii, and follows HMAS Sydney’s successful first-of-class firing of a Naval Strike Missile during Exercise RIMPAC 2024 last month. ​

Manufacturer, Raytheon, says SM-6 is three missiles in one.

“It’s the only weapon that can perform anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare and ballistic-missile defense, or sea-based terminal missions,” the Raytheon web site says.

“And because it offers navies more flexibility in limited ship space, it’s enabling the US and its allies to cost-effectively increase the offensive might of surface forces.”

SM-6 carries a 64kg warhead at a top speed of around Mach 3.5 (about 1.2km per second), with a max range of about 500km and max flight ceiling of 110,000 feet.

Wikipedia says each missile costs about US$5million.

Chief of Navy Vice Admiral Mark Hammond said HMAS Sydney’s first-of-class firings of both Naval Strike Missile and Standard Missile 6 in less than a month was a clear demonstration of Navy’s intent to deliver on its commitment to accelerate the RAN’s ability to support Defence’s strategy of denial in concert with key Allies and partners.

“Delivering on both of these key milestones in this accelerated timeframe is a testament to the hard work and dedication of a committed team of people from across Navy, Defence, industry and international partners,” Vice Admiral Hammond said.​

Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy said the ability to deter an adversary from extended ranges and to deter attempts to project power against Australia was a core part of the National Defence Strategy.

Before returning to Australia later this year, HMAS Sydney will also conduct a Regional Presence Deployment.

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