Navy tests SM-6 weapon on road to full operational capability
NewsApril 27, 2017
PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY, Hawaii. The Navy reports successful execution of four flight tests of the surface-to-air Standard Missile-6 Block I (SM-6 Blk I) off the Hawaiian coast; the tests were conducted at the beginning of April.
The Raytheon-made SM-6 missile provides over-the-horizon engagement capability when launched from an Aegis warship; it uses the most recent hardware and software missile technology to provide the needed capabilities against evolving air threats.
The SM-6 program has passed the development stage and was named as achieving Initial Operational Capability in November 2013. These latest tests marked the next step toward the SM-6 Blk I's achievement of Full Operational Capability. Moreover, these tests off Hawaii are the initial trials using the latest SM-6 Blk I software, which includes air warfare, ballistic-missile sea-based terminal defense, and anti-surface-warfare capabilities.
