The Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN) has successfully concluded five test flights using the Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) surface-to-air missile systems as part of its summer exercises.
Carried out at sea, the tests involved the launch of five SM-2 missiles built by Raytheon to defeat aerial targets.
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During an initial exercise, the South Korean Navy fired two Block IIIA SM-2 missiles with an aim to test the advanced semi-active radar seeker technology of the weapon system.
A second exercise was conducted by the navy to demonstrate the ability of the weapon to destroy three aerial threats using the Block IIIB variant of the missile.
Raytheon Air and Missile Defense Systems vice-president Mitch Stevison said: “These successful flight tests add to SM-2’s impressive legacy of more than 2,700 successful firings.
“As we begin to produce a new generation of SM-2s, the missile will be in the inventories of navies worldwide for decades to come.”
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By GlobalDataIn June last year, the company restarted the SM-2 production line in order to meet the requirements of four international customers, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia and South Korea.
Due to begin in 2020, deliveries of new missiles are expected to include the supply of more than 280 Block IIIA and IIIB weapon systems.
Raytheon’s SM-2 is a fleet-area air defence weapon that has been designed to provide the navies with the capability to defend against anti-ship missiles and aircraft out to 90nm and an altitude of 65,000ft.
The Block IIIA and IIIB missiles feature advanced semi-active radar seeker technologies in both continuous wave and interrupted continuous wave guidance modes, in addition to tail controls and solid rocket motor propulsion that helps engage the world’s advanced high-speed manoeuvring threats at tactically significant ranges.
