Australia’s Hobart class destroyers and future Hunter class frigates will be armed with SM-2 and SM-6 missiles, under a new $7 billion Australian Government deal with the United States.
The Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC (SM-2 IIIC) and Standard Missile‑6 (SM-6) are billed as the most advanced air and missile defence weapons in the world.
The SM-2 IIIC brings active seeker technology and significantly enhanced defensive capabilities against missile threats.
The SM-6 missile will provide Australia with extended range air defence capability against air and missile threats, an offensive anti-ship capability and for the first time, a terminal ballistic missile defence capability.
The SM-2 IIIC and SM-6 complement existing capabilities such as ESSM Block 2 and Naval Strike Missile as part of a layered strike and missile defence capability for the Royal Australian Navy surface combatant fleet.
“The Standard Missile‑6 and Standard Missile 2 Block IIIC will enable our Navy to strike maritime, land and air targets at long-range, and provide a terminal ballistic missile defence capability, boosting the capacity for the ADF to safeguard Australians and their interests,” said Australian Minister for Defence, Richard Marles.
HMAS Sydney conducted a successful first-of-class firing of the Naval Strike Missile during Exercise RIMPAC in July and the SM-6 as part of Exercise Pacific Dragon 2024 near Hawaii in August.
Image: HMAS Sydney fires Royal Australian Navy’s first Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) during Exercise Pacific Dragon 2024. Image courtesy of Defence.
