Production of the Block IIA variant of the SM-3 missile hits Full Rate 31/10/2024 | Gabriele Molinelli

Raytheon, a subsidiary of the US defence industrial group RTX, has announced that production of the newest operational variant of the SM-3 exo-atmospheric interceptor is entering its Full Rate phase with approval from the Missile Defence Agency.

Production in Tucson, Arizona and Huntsville, Alabama is now in full swing, and work is assured for the next seven years with MDA having allocated almost $2 billion in procurement funds for the new missile back in July. Under current contracts, work is expected to continue until 28 february 2031.

The Block IIA missile has been developed in close cooperation with Japan as a joint project that will equip both navies, being a key element of Tokyo’s own anti-missile defences. The first IIA was tested in 2017. On 16 November 2020, the new missile was successful in a key demonstration at sea to prove its capability to take on Intercontinental-type missile threats. An ICBM-representative target was launched from the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site, located on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, toward the broad ocean area northeast of Hawaii where it was engaged by the USS John Finn (DDG-113) with an SM-3 Block IIA exploiting engage-on-remote capabilities through the Command and Control Battle Management Communications (C2BMC) network as part of a defense of Hawaii scenario. The test, designated Flight Test Aegis Weapon System-44 (FTM-44), was successful.

Japan committed $308.4 million in procurement funding as part of the July contract award. The SM-3 Block IIA defining new feature is the use of a wider diameter body accommodating a larger propulsion motor, with missile body diameter increasing from 13.5 inches to 21 inches, maxing out space available in a MK41 cell. The missile also introduces a new 2-color seeker, also larger thanks to increased diameter, and a larger Kill Vehicle.

The SM-3 is a hit-to-kill missile which achieves destruction of the target via kinetic energy of a direct impact, without use of an explosive warhead. Block IIA reportedly increases maximum interception range to 2,500 km and interception altitude to 1,000 km, which is why it can satisfactorily tackle even Intercontinental ballistic threats rather than just medium range missiles as in previous incarnations.

The MDA considers it an adjunct, complementary capability to the much larger silo-based, ground launch interceptor missiles. South Korea has announced in April that it will procure SM-3 missiles to arm the KDX-III Batch-II JEONGJO THE GREAT-class destroyers although it is not yet clear if it will have access to the latest IIA variant.

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