Pentagon eyes SM-6 missil for counter-hypersonic mission, test against glide-vehicle target in FY-23

[F-22Raptor]

The Defense Department is eyeing Raytheon's Standard Missile-6 as a counter-hypersonic interceptor, a weapon already effective against "advanced maneuvering threats" and now slated for a flight test against a hypersonic boost-glide target in fiscal year 2023. Mike Griffin, under secretary of defense for research and engineering, revealed the plans for SM-6 as a candidate counter-hypersonic weapon days after a top Navy admiral said the service has a classified capability to protect aircraft carrier strike groups from maneuvering hypersonic...

https://insidedefense.com/daily-new...ssion-test-against-glide-vehicle-target-fy-23

Excellent news, the SM-6 is an extremely capable missile. Likely the most advanced anti-air missile in the world, and it will prove to be even more so as the Navy transitions to the Block 1B from Block 1A replacing the 1As 13.5in rocket booster with a 21in booster for 1B.

Range will likely be in the 350-500 mile range, with speeds approaching Mach 5+

 

[F-22Raptor]

The Navy is seeking permission to reprogram $38.2 million dollars to "provide a hypersonic and extended range anti-surface warfare" capability to SM-6 Block IB Phase 1B all-up-rounds, according to a Defense Department document.

https://insidedefense.com/insider/n...amming-hypersonic-extended-range-upgrade-sm-6

The SM-6 Block 1B will indeed have hypersonic capability.

 

[FuturePAF]

To counter, competitors will start putting MIRV hypersonics on their missiles. Cat and mouse game continues.