US Navy places $333m order for new ship-launched missiles

Defence technology company Raytheon has been awarded a US$333 million contract from the US Navy to produce Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) Block IA missiles.

The SM-6 will provide US Navy ships with over-the-horizon offensive and defensive capability. Raytheon said it is the only missile that supports anti-air and anti-surface warfare and sea-based terminal ballistic missile defence in one solution, enabling the US Navy and allies to cost-effectively increase the offensive might of surface forces.

The SM-6 has been successfully fired from various US Navy ships, unmanned vessels, and launchers on land. In March 2024, the SM-6 demonstrated its anti-missile capabilities by successfully intercepting a medium-range ballistic missile target at sea during the Flight Test Aegis Weapon System (FTM)-32 exercise.

The SM-6 has also been successfully employed in combat, with around 80 examples shooting down hostile drones and missiles following the onset of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebel group against Red Sea shipping.

Production of SM-6 missiles under this contract will be undertaken at four of Raytheon's facilities in the United States. Completion is scheduled for 2027.