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Sujet: Systèmes SAM&ABM navals ( Documentation ) Ven 13 Nov 2009 - 14:39
Rappel du premier message :
Mica VL
Citation :
MBDA has exploited the success and operationally proven capabilities of the in-service MICA air-to-air missile to develop two highly effective air defence systems, VL MICA (Land) and VL MICA (Naval). Both systems have been designed to offer a highly effective, rapid reaction, all-weather air defence against the widest range of threats.
Both MICA air defence systems feature vertical launch, a very short reaction time and a high firing rate. In addition they can both engage several targets simultaneously and provide 360° defence coverage without costly dedicated tracking and guidance suites.
As with the air-to-air weapon, the MICA fire and forget missile features a thrust vector control system and two seeker variants, active radar or infrared imaging.
VL MICA (Naval)
Developed to provide the capabilities of a Point Defence Missile System (PDMS), an Inner Layer Missile System (ILMS) and a Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) to counter a potential saturating anti-ship missile attack.
The VL MICA (Naval) launch canister is key to the system. Canisters can be installed in machined and aligned slots in a silo structure, part or fully buried in the ship’s deck. Alternatively, the canisters can be installed alongside the ship’s hangar or any suitable vertical bulkhead. Installation in a wide range of either new or retrofit warships, from fast patrol craft to major vessels, is therefore relatively easy. The canister serves as the storage and transportation unit as well as the vertical launcher. Missile system life cycle costs can therefore be minimised.
Target designation can be derived direct from the ship’s Combat Management System (CMS) with target data from a 3-D surveillance radar. Systems integration is facilitated via an electronic interface unit installed below deck. Each interface unit links eight VL MICA missiles to the CMS. As the system does not require dedicated target trackers, it has a truly 360° engagement capability.
Weight: 112 Kg Warhead weight : 13 kg Longueur : 3.1 m Diamétre : 166 mm Portée : 20 Km
____________________ Aster 15 SAAM
Citation :
The ASTER modular family of vertically launched missiles is being developed under the leadership of MBDA within the Franco-Italian FSAF (Future Surface-to-Air Family) programme. Under this programme, France and Italy agreed to develop and produce a family of naval platform and ground based air defence systems for the armed forces of both countries. A subsequent trilateral agreement signed between France, Italy and the United Kingdom resulted in the development of a third naval air defence system using the Aster family of missiles known as PAAMS (Principal Anti-Air Missile System).
>SAAM (Surface-to-Air Anti-Missile): Using the Aster 15 (30km range) missile, SAAM is a high performance and highly manoeuvrable medium range anti-aircraft and anti-missile system for point and local defence against a new generation of threats including high speed, stealthy and highly manoeuvrable sea skimming anti-ship, cruise and anti-radar missiles.
>SAAM provides effective defence against anti-ship missiles and modern combat aircraft and is able to counter saturation attack in extreme countermeasures environments. The system comprises a fire control system with multifunction electronic scanning radar, Sylver vertical launchers each containing eight ready-to-fire missiles and the Aster 15 anti-missile missiles.
>The French SAAM/FR and Italian SAAM/IT variants are both the same except for the fire control system. The French Navy will use the Thales ARABEL radar while the Italian Navy will deploy the Selex Integrated Systems EMPAR radar.
>The Aster 15 missile active RF seeker and inertial mid-course guidance gives the system great advantages over comparable systems in terms of target handling. Employing a unique combination of aerodynamic and thrust vector control, the Aster 15 missile has unrivalled agility and manoeuvrability, making the weapon highly effective in all operating conditions against highly agile and stealthy targets.
Weight: 310 Kg Warhead weight : 30 kg Longueur : 4.2 m Diamétre : 180 mm Portée : 30 Km
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Aster 15 & 30 PAAMS
Citation :
>PAAMS (Principal Anti-Air Missile System): A 360° omni-directional system providing multi-layer air defence to armed fleets or groups of unarmed support and merchant ships. It incorporates three separate mission capabilities in a single naval air defence system – ship self-defence for protection of the PAAMS warship; local area defence for nearby ship defence; and medium and long-range air defence. PAAMS has been designed to provide optimum protection against omni-directional and co-ordinated attacks from sub- or supersonic missiles, aircraft and high value UAVs.
>PAAMS comprises a Multi Function Radar (MFR), a sophisticated Command and Control sub-system (C2), and a dual missile Vertical Launch Sub-system (VLS) containing a combination of 48, ready-to-fire Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles (same as for SAMP/T). PAAMS is supported by a Long Range Radar (LRR) for long-range surveillance.
>Two PAAMS system variants are being developed. The Royal Navy system - PAAMS(S) - will use the BAE SYSTEMS SAMPSON radar while the French and Italian navies will deploy a system equipped with an EMPAR radar/fire control unit – PAAMS (E).
>Depending on the threat, the combination of the Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles enables the PAAMS system to fire in any configuration from the PAAMS Sylver A50 launcher providing an impenetrable defence envelope day or night, even in cases of extreme ECM and in all weather conditions.
Weight: 450 Kg Warhead weight : 47 kg Longueur : 4.9 m Diamétre : 180 mm Portée : 100 Km
____________________ SeaWolf
Citation :
SEAWOLF was the first operational anti-missile ship defence weapon system. It has proved its efficiency against fast sea skimming and high angle supersonic missiles. Vertical Launch SEAWOLF is a fully automatic, fast reaction, high speed, point defence missile system offering an effective counter to multiple missile attack. VL SEAWOLF (VL = Vertical Launch) is accurate enough to intercept 4.5 inch (114 mm) shells.
Once the surveillance radar has detected targets, the ship’s command system evaluates them and prioritises the threat. Designated high threat targets are then automatically passed to the SEAWOLF tracker subsystem which then searches for and locks onto the target. The system automatically decides upon missile launch and guides the SEAWOLF missile up to intercept using highly accurate Command to Line of Sight (CLOS) guidance.
The missile Vertically launched, the missile is turned over quickly using thrust vector control. Once the boost motor has separated, the missile is controlled by its rear fins, giving it high manoeuvrability. The rear-facing command aerials, mounted on the missile wings, make it extremely resistant to electronic countermeasures.
The launch canister Vertical Launch SEAWOLF missiles are stored and transported in sealed launch canisters and require no maintenance on-board ship. The canister has its own integral ducts for efflux management, making installation on board ship simple and flexible.
The tracker Vertical Launch SEAWOLF operates with one or two lightweight radar trackers.
Weight: 140 Kg Warhead weight : 14 kg Longueur : 3 m Diamétre : 180 mm Portée : 10 Km
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Auteur
Message
Viper Modérateur
messages : 7967 Inscrit le : 24/04/2007 Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Justement c'est ça la confusion, on est pas dans les armes surface/air, on est dans les missiles surface/air navals, monter un canon de A-10 sur navire pour neutraliser les menaces raprochées (missiles, vedettes rapides...) ne fait pas de canon un missile, c'est un canon, un CIWS.
Pour être précis, les missiles air-surface font parti pour moi de l'armement air-surface, donc si tu tiens absolument à faire le distingo entre missiles et CIWS alors pas de problème.
Ensuite le GAU-8 Avenger n'a absolument rien avoir avec le canon du Phalanx, l'Avenger est un 7 tubes de 30 mm, alors que le canon du Phalanx est un 6 de tube de 20 mm
Raptor a écrit:
Et puis on peut aussi poster même des torpille, et on reste dans l'armement naval, et comme ça on a un topic qui traite de toute la panoplie de l'armement naval.
Pas besion puisque le topic Torpille existe déjà
Mais bon je vois où tu veut en venir, ne mélangeons pas tout...compris.
_________________
Fremo Administrateur
messages : 24808 Inscrit le : 14/02/2009 Localisation : 7Seas Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
MBDA va développer le système surface-air Sea Captor pour les frégates britanniques
Vue du futur système Sea Captor crédits : MBDA
03/02/2012
Le missilier européen a remporté auprès du ministère britannique de la défense le contrat portant sur la phase de démonstration du nouveau système surface-air devant équiper les frégates de la Royal Navy. Le système, dérivé du FLAADS (Future Local Area Air Defense System) est baptisé Sea Captor et sera basé sur des missiles CAMM (Common Anti-air Modular Missile), qui remplaceront les ASRAAM, Rapier et Sea Wolf en service dans les forces aériennes, terrestres et navales britanniques. Dans la Royal Navy, le Sea Captor remplacera le Sea Wolf embarqué sur les frégates du type 23 à partir de 2016. Il est également prévu pour équiper les futures frégates du type 26 devant être réalisées dans le cadre du programme Global Combat Ship (GCS), qui remplaceront les T23 après 2020.
Le CAMM
Missile supersonique à lancement vertical, le CAMM mesure 3.2 mètres, pèse 99 kilos et affiche une portée de 25 km. Autonome mais pouvant bénéficier du rafraîchissement en vol des données, il disposera d'un autodirecteur électromagnétique actif et est conçu pour s'opposer à des cibles aériennes rapides, évasives, à faible signature et dotées de contre-mesures modernes. Contrairement au VL Mica, ce missile est tiré à froid, c'est-à-dire qu'il est d'abord éjecté du tube avant d'allumer son booster, ce qui réduit les contraintes sur les lanceurs. Mis en oeuvre depuis un bâtiment doté d'un radar de veille 2D ou 3D (par un lanceur autonome, Sylver ou Mk41), le Sea Captor peut équiper des unités de moyen tonnage, comme des corvettes, ou même des bateaux plus petits avec un seul lanceur quadruple.
First full sequence test of French Navy's future Naval Cruise Missile (SCALP Naval) a Success
French Procurement Agency (DGA) on July 9, 2012 successfully completed the first full sequence test (from launch to target) of a SCALP Naval, French Navy's future naval cruise missile.
This was the third development test firing of the missile, conducted at the DGA site of Biscarrosse (South West France) where the "DGA missile test center" is located. This test is representative of a shot from a frigate. All objectives were met, including the validation of the terminal phase with autonomous guidance by infrared scene recognition, which provides highly accurate impacts. SCALP Naval cruise missiles will be deployed onboard multi-mission frigates (FREMM) in 2014 and Barracuda SSN submarines in 2017.
SCALP Naval third test (Picture: DGA)
With a range of several hundred kilometers, SCALP Naval is intended to strike targets in the depth of enemy territory. It is complementary to the Airborne Scalp cruise missile form which it is derived. Deployed on warships positioned off enemy coasts in international waters, ostensibly (frigates) or discretely (submarines), SCALP Naval is the perfect weapon when the mission involves destruction of high strategic value targets.
navyrecognition
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
jonas General de Brigade
messages : 3370 Inscrit le : 11/02/2008 Localisation : far-maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
La DGA annonce aujourd'hui avoir procédé le 9 juillet au troisième tir de développement du missile de croisière naval (MdCN), ou Scalp Naval, depuis son centre d'essais de Biscarrosse. Premier tir "complet", c'est à dire incluant une phase terminale d'engagement de cible, cet essai était représentatif d'un emploi depuis une frégate multi-missions (FREMM). Le missile était ainsi mis en oeuvre depuis un lanceur vertical Sylver A70.
Pour la première fois, la DGA et le missilier MBDA ont pu vérifier les performances grandeur nature de l'autodirecteur infrarouge du missile, qui assure le guidage en phase terminale selon un système de "reconnaissance de scène" déjà employé sur le Scalp-EG et l'AASM-IR. Développé par Selex Galileo, ce capteur est doté d'une matrice infrarouge de 320x256 pixels, fournie par Sofradir. La précision attendue est de l'ordre du mètre.
Supérieure à 1.000 km, la portée maximale du Scalp Naval est rendue possible par un emport accru en carburant (kérosène JP-10) par rapport au Scalp-EG aéroporté, ainsi que par l'utilisation d'une turbine légèrement différente, la TRI 50 de Microturbo. Les précédents essais avaient déjà permis de démontrer la grande endurance de l'engin.
Le premier tir d'essai depuis un lanceur vertical avait eu lieu le 28 mai 2010. Un an plus tard, le 8 juin 2011, la DGA procédait au premier essai de changement de milieu, afin de valider la configuration du missile dans son application sous-marine, puisqu'il est appelé à équiper les sous-marins nucléaires d'attaque Barracuda. La DGA prévoyait alors de réaliser son premier tir complet dès l'hiver 2011-2012, mais celui-ci a vraisemblablement été décalé de quelques mois. Au total, trois autres tirs sous-marins et quatre tirs FREMM devraient encore avoir lieu.
Le missile devrait entrer en service dès 2014 sur FREMM, à bord du second bâtiment de la série, le "Normandie". Les Barracuda pourraient quant à eux en être équipés à partir de 2017.
Notifié en décembre 2006, le contrat de réalisation du programme MdCN prévoit une enveloppe d'un peu moins d'1 Md€ pour couvrir les frais de développement et de production d'un premier lot de missiles. Au total, les tranches fermes portent aujourd'hui sur l'achat de 200 missiles, soit 150 en configuration Fremm et 50 en configuration sous-marin. La cible avait été revue à la baisse de 50 unités pour la mise en cohérence avec l'actuelle loi de programmation militaire.
air et cosmos
MAATAWI Modérateur
messages : 14755 Inscrit le : 07/09/2009 Localisation : Maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: Systèmes SAM&ABM navals ( Documentation ) Mer 8 Mai 2013 - 13:51
Citation :
Aselsan & Thales introduce the LMM Missile Launching System at IDEF 2013
At the IDEF 2013 defense exhibition currently held in Istanbul, Turkey, Aselsan and Thales are showcasing a new gyro stabilized naval turret designed for small displacement ships.
The Aselsan Missile Launching System (MLS) developed to provide defense for oil rigs, seaports and naval bases against a variety of surface threats is a customized compact and lightweight solution for Fast Interceptor Crafts. It has minimum weight and reduced impact on vessel's speed and maneuverability.
Thales LMM (Lightweight Multi-role Missile) is a lightweight, precision strike missile, which has been designed to be fired from a variety of tactical platforms including helicopters, fixed or rotary winged UAV, wheeled or tracked vehicles or fast in-shore naval craft. The target set includes surface threats such as static installations, APC's, assymetric threats, fast in-shore attack craft and UAV's.
General Specications:
8 ready to fire Thales LMM 2 axis gyro stabilized turret Automatic target tracking through independant stabalized EO suite Laser range finder foor target ranging High hit performance with fast reaction time High level system automation for ease of use Ease of integration into existing and new built small vessels Low maintenance cost and high reliability
navyrecognition.com
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
MAATAWI Modérateur
messages : 14755 Inscrit le : 07/09/2009 Localisation : Maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
A European Navy orders two Oerlikon Millennium automatic cannon from Rheinmetall
German defense company Rheinmetall announced that a European navy has ordered two Oerlikon Millennium automatic cannon for one of its surface combatants. The contract is worth around €12 million, and also includes technical documentation, spare parts and services relating to maintenance training and system integration. Delivery is scheduled to take place in 2015.
German defense company Rheinmetall announced that a European navy has ordered two Oerlikon Millennium automatic cannon for one of its surface combatants. The contract is worth around €12 million, and also includes technical documentation, spare parts and services relating to maintenance training and system integration. Delivery is scheduled to take place in 2015. Oerlikon Millennium 35mm Naval Gun System Picture: Rheinmetall
The Oerlikon Millennium 35mm Naval Gun System is a Close-in weapon system designed by Oerlikon (a Rheinmetall subsidiary) for surface vessels close protection.
According to Rheinmetall, the Millennium is ideally suited to counter symmetric and asymmetric threats. It effectively engages air, sea, and land targets. It can be used in combination with any advanced fire control system or readily integrated into existing inner layer defence systems. Millennium is capable of neutralizing hostile speedboat swarms approaching at high speed. Due to its high rate of fire and the use of Ahead ammunition, Millennium is the only medium-calibre naval gun capable of engaging fast-moving incoming air targets. Millennium is effective at ranges of up to 3500 m for air targets and up to 5000 m for surface targets.
In Europe, Millennium is already in service onboard Royal Danish Navy Absalon class and Iver Huitfeldt class vessels.
http://www.navyrecognition.com
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
annabi Général de corps d'armée (ANP)
messages : 6945 Inscrit le : 18/07/2012 Localisation : paris Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Vidéo Navy Recognition : présentation par MBDA des missiles MM40 Block 3 et VL MICA au salon DSA 2014
At DSA 2014, the 14th Defence Services Asia Exhibition and Conference currently held in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), MBDA is showcasing two of its Maritime Superiority solutions: - The Exocet MM40 Block 3 is the latest, 4th generation member of the Exocet family with littoral warfare and coastal land attack capability. - The VL MICA is a naval point and local area air defence system with anti-surface capability available in both active radar and IR seeker versions
Yakuza Administrateur
messages : 21656 Inscrit le : 15/09/2009 Localisation : 511 Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
The ability to strike strategic and military targets with exceptional precision from extended stand-off ranges has become a key operational requirement. MBDA’s experience in this area has already been proven with the development and entry into service of the Storm Shadow / SCALP air-launched cruise missile. This combat-proven missile system, with its unmatched capabilities, was the result of a multi-national European programme (France, Italy and the UK).
Invité Invité
Sujet: Re: Systèmes SAM&ABM navals ( Documentation ) Sam 31 Oct 2015 - 14:24
sous marins et navire du futur http://www.navy.mil/navydata/technology/usvmppr.pdf
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Sujet: Re: Systèmes SAM&ABM navals ( Documentation ) Ven 27 Nov 2015 - 17:05
Citation :
Barak 8 First Sea Launch
defenseupdate
Ajoutée le 26 nov. 2015
Israel's Ministry of Defense and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) conducted today the first full system flight and intercept test of the Barak 8 missile system developed jointly by Israel and India
Adam Modérateur
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Navy SM-6 Missile Will Attempt To Swat Down A Mock Hypersonic Weapon
The new version of the SM-6 missile that is currently under development will itself be able to reach hypersonic speeds.
The Missile Defense Agency, together with the U.S. Navy, plan to test an SM-6 missile against an "advanced maneuvering threat," a term that has been used in relation to unpowered hypersonic boost-glide vehicles, later this year. The Pentagon says that unspecified versions of the SM-6 have already demonstrated some degree of capability against these types of weapons, examples of which Russia and China have already begun putting to service. A new variant of the SM-6, the Block IB, is already under development and will itself be able to reach hypersonic speeds.
Barbara McQuiston, a senior U.S. official currently performing the duties of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, including mention of the scheduled SM-6 test in her testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Defense yesterday. The aim of the hearing was to give Senators on the subcommittee an update on Department of Defense innovation and research efforts, broadly.
The US Navy's Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Hopper fires an SM-3 missile during a test. MDA has previously said that ships in this class would be the first to be armed with an anti-hypersonic weapon interceptor.
"MDA [the Missile Defense Agency], in cooperation with the U.S. Navy, demonstrated early capability against maneuvering threats during flight-testing of the Standard Missile (SM)-6 Sea-Based Terminal (SBT) defense, and it will further demonstrate this capability against an advanced maneuvering threat-representative target later this year," according to McQuiston's written testimony. "We will continue to advance our SBT capability to address the regional hypersonic threat and will test that capability in the FY 2024 timeframe."
As noted, the phrase "advanced maneuvering threat" has previously been used in relation to hypersonic boost-glide vehicles. Russia has at least one such weapon, Avangard, in limited service now, as does China, with the DF-17. China is also developing other weapons in this category, possibly including an air-launched type for its H-6N missile carrier aircraft.
There is growing interesting in boost-glide vehicles elsewhere in the world, as well, including in the United States, where the U.S. Air Force, Army, and Navy are all in the process of developing their own designs. MDA has already been involved in U.S. hypersonic weapon testing, collecting data to support counter-hypersonic projects.
Unpowered boost-glide vehicles use a rocket motor to get them to an optimal altitude and speed. At that point, the vehicle detaches and glides down to its target at hypersonic speeds, defined as anything above Mach 5, along an atmospheric trajectory.
A graphic offering a very rudimentary look at the difference in flight paths between hypersonic boost-glide vehicles and more conventional ballistic missiles
Boost-glide vehicles are designed to make very unpredictable movements during their flights compared to traditional ballistic missiles, even ones with maneuverable reentry vehicles. As a result, the hypersonic weapons present significant challenges for enemy air and missile defenses, even particularly dense defensive networks protecting high-value targets. The combination of speed and maneuverability makes these weapons difficult to spot and track, and reduces the overall amount of time available to react in any way, including simply trying to move critical assets out of the target area or otherwise attempting to seek cover.
More conventional ballistic missiles with increasing degrees of maneuverability, including air-launched types, such as Russia's Kinzhal, also reach hypersonic velocities in the terminal phase of flight and present their own form of "advanced maneuvering threat." Air-breathing cruise missiles able to reach hypersonic speeds and maneuver erratically at low altitudes present another emerging concern.
This is not the first time the Pentagon has publicly discussed using a variant of the SM-6 for hypersonic defense. In March 2020, Mike Griffin, then the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, first revealed that this missile was among those being considered for this role and that there were plans to test one of them against an actual hypersonic boost-glide vehicle sometime in the 2023 Fiscal Year. It's not clear whether the test Griffin was referring to is the one now scheduled for this year or the one that MDA now plans to carry out in the 2024 Fiscal Year.
Just days before Griffin made his remarks last year, Navy Vice Admiral Jon Hill, director of MDA, had also said that the interceptor being developed under the Regional Glide Phase Weapon System (RGPWS) program would fit inside Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) launch cells. The SM-6 is designed to be fired from Mk 41 VLSs with longer "strike-length" cells.
A graphic showing various weapons that can be loaded into Mk 41 VLSs with strike or tactical-length cells, including the SM-6.
In her written testimony, McQuiston mentioned "a newly designated Glide Phase Intercept initiative to develop a capability to defeat a regional hypersonic threat." It's not clear how this new effort relates to the earlier RGPWS program. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has also been exploring counter-hypersonic capabilities through its Glide Breaker program.
It's also not clear what variant or variants of the SM-6, which is also known as the RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM), MDA plans to employ in any of these future hypersonic defense tests. The original SM-6, which entered service in 2013 as a new weapon for Navy warships equipped with the Aegis combat system, is a highly-capable missile, as you can read about in more detail here. It can be employed against aircraft and low-flying cruise missiles and has the ability to knock down certain kinds of ballistic missiles in the terminal phase of their flight – the same SBT role that McQuiston references in her testimony.
An SM-6 Block I or Block IA missile
The SM-6 has a nascent surface-to-surface capability, as well. The Block IA version of the missile adds a GPS-assisted guidance option to expand its ability to hit static surface targets. Both the Block I and Block IA variants have two-way data links that allow them to get updated targeting information in flight from both the ship that launched them and offboard platforms.
In 2019, the Navy disclosed additional plans for a Block IB version of the SM-6 that would mate the guidance system and other components of the Block IA to the enlarged missile body used on the SM-3 Block IIA missile. The SM-3 Block IIA is designed to engage ballistic missile threats in the mid-course portion of their flights when they are flying at extremely high altitudes.
A briefing slide giving a sense of how much larger the SM-3 Block IIA's body is compared to older SM-3 variants, which are similar in general size and shape to SM-6 Block I/IA missiles.
It is the still-under-development Block IB version of the missile that would seem best suited to hypersonic defense. A report on U.S. hypersonic weapons development programs that the Government Accountability Office (GAO), a Congressional watchdog, released in March confirmed earlier reports that this variant will fly at hypersonic speeds.
A table from the March 2021 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on US hypersonic weapon developments that includes the SM-6 Block IB missile as among the types now in development.
An SM-6 variant would also be a good starting place for developing a hypersonic defense weapon that could be used to protect assets at sea, as well as on land. The U.S. Army is already in process of evaluating a land-based version of this missile as a longer-range strike weapon. The Navy could potentially integrate advanced SM-6s into existing and future Aegis ashore missile defense sites, as well.
If the hypersonic defense version of the SM-6 remains similar, if not largely identical, to an existing variant, such as the Block IB, the missile could remain an extremely flexible weapon that ships or ground-based launch platforms could still employ against a wide range of other targets, as well. It's certainly not hard to see how one variant might offer a single line of defense against hypersonic boost-glide vehicles, as well as air-breathing hypersonic cruise missiles and advanced ballistic missiles.
At the same time, questions remain about just how effective any kind of interceptor will ever be against hypersonic threats. "Directed energy weapons (high energy lasers or particle beam) or space-based interceptors provide the best overall hope of a hard kill," the NATO Science & Technology Organization said in a March 2020 report, which seemed to imply the possibility of a successful interception of a hypersonic weapon was low, in general.
Clearly, the forthcoming tests of the SM-6 in the counter-hypersonic role are meant to prove that a version of this weapon will indeed offer valuable additional protection against these emerging advanced threats.
_________________ Les peuples ne meurent jamais de faim mais de honte.
Fahed64 Administrateur
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