by Olawale Abaire, Warrior Contributor
In the face of escalating Pacific threats, particularly from China, the US Navy is expressing an increased demand for its SM-3 missile, a recently successful interceptor. The SM-3 missile interceptor was deployed in combat by the US Navy for the first time last month.
In the previous month, US warships in the eastern Mediterranean Sea launched the Standard Missile 3, or SM-3, to counter Iranian ballistic missiles fired during a large-scale, unprecedented assault on Israel. This event marked the interceptor’s combat debut.
Carlos Del Toro, Secretary of the Navy, to the House Armed Services Committee, stated that the “Future requirements for SM-3s will increase considering the recent defense operations for Israel, where some were launched and proved highly effective. Del Toro further elaborated that he believe the US Navy will need more SM-3s in the future given the impending threat and our deterrence mission in the Indo-Pacific.
The SM-3 is a component of the Navy’s sophisticated Aegis Combat System and can be launched from a warship’s vertical-launching system. This weapon employs a kinetic kill vehicle to strike and obliterate short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles during the midcourse phase of flight and is capable of exo-atmospheric intercepts. Space kills are particularly challenging missions that other Navy air-defense systems cannot accomplish.
There are several SM-3 variants, each with its unique specifications and capabilities. The first Aegis BMD ships fielded SM-3 Block I interceptors in 2005, and the first Block IA interceptors deployed in 2006. The Block IA variant, also known as RIM-11B, has a length of 6.55 m and a diameter of 0.34 m. It can reach speeds of 3.0 km/s and has a range of 700 km.
Also, we have the SM-3 Block IB (RIM-161D) introduced in 2014. Like its predecessor, it has a diameter of 0.34 m but boasts an improved speed of 3.0 km/s and the same range of 700 km. And the The SM-3 Block IIA was introduced in 2019. This variant features an improved propulsion system, allowing for significantly higher speeds and greatly expanding the missile’s range. It has a larger diameter of 0.54 m, can reach speeds of 4.5 km/s, and has an impressive range of 2,500 km.
If US and China were to go to war in the future, the maritime domain would likely be a critical battleground, putting the Navy at risk given China’s theater missiles. China is expanding its already formidable arsenal of anti-ship ballistic missiles, which could pose a significant threat to US aircraft carriers and other warships operating in the region during a potential future conflict. Interceptors like the SM-3 would enable American naval forces to counter some of these threats.
However, the Navy is already experiencing what it’s like to combat anti-ship ballistic missiles. Last year, the Iran-backed Houthi rebels became the first international actors to launch such weapons in combat as part of their ongoing attacks on shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. US forces have intercepted numerous of these missiles in recent months.
