Engineering:RIM-161 Standard Missile 3
| RIM-161 SM-3 | |
|---|---|
A RIM-161 standard missile 3 (SM-3) is launched from the Aegis cruiser USS Lake Erie | |
| Type | Kinetic anti ballistic missile (Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System) |
| Place of origin | United States, Japan (Block IIA) |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2014–present (Block IB)[1] |
| Used by | United States Navy Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Republic of Korea Navy Aegis Ashore: Romania Poland |
| Wars | April 2024 Iranian strikes on Israel[2] 2026 Iran war[3] |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | RTX, Aerojet, (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Block IIA) |
| Unit cost | |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 1.5 t |
| Length | 6.55 m (21 ft 6 in) |
| Diameter | 34.3 cm (13.5 in) for Block I missiles 53.3 cm (21.0 in) for Block II |
| Warhead | Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP) kinetic warhead |
| Wingspan | 1.57 m (62 in) |
| Propellant | Stage 1: Mk 72 booster, solid-fuel, Aerojet Stage 2: MK 104 Dual Thrust Rocket Motor (DTRM), solid-fuel, Aerojet Stage 3: MK 136 Third Stage Rocket Motor (TSRM), solid-fuel, ATK Stage 4: Throttleable Divert and Attitude Control System (TDACS), Aerojet |
Operational range | Block IA/B: 900–1,200 km (560–750 mi) Block IIA: 1,200 km range and flight ceiling 900 – 1,050 km (depending on the type of target)[6][N 1] |
| Speed | 3 km/s (Mach 8.8) Block IA/B 4.5 km/s (Mach 13.2) Block IIA[6] |
Guidance system | GPS/INS/semi-active radar homing/passive LWIR infrared homing seeker (KW) |
The RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) is a ship-based surface-to-air missile used by the United States Navy to intercept ballistic missiles as a part of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System.[7][8] With the Block IIA's range of 1,200 km, the SM-3 is the second longest-ranged anti-ballistic of the US Missile Defense Agency, behind the Ground-Based Interceptor. The SM-3 has also been employed in an anti-satellite capacity against a satellite at the lower end of low Earth orbit.[9] The SM-3 is primarily used and tested by the United States Navy and also operated by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
All SM-3 variants are manufactured by Raytheon and Aerojet, while the Block IIA is developed jointly with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. Target acquisition is provided by the ship's AN/SPY-1 radar, and the missile carries the Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile warhead.
In 2008, the US military destroyed its satellite USA-193, at an altitude of 247 kilometers, by firing an SM-3 from the USS Lake Erie near Hawaii, codenamed Operation Burnt Frost. The use of the missile was believed to be an anti-satellite weapon test in response to a similar 2007 test by China.[10]
The SM-3 was first used in combat during the April 2024 Iranian strikes against Israel, when four to seven SM-3s were fired to intercept at least six Iranian ballistic missiles.[11][12] The SM-3 was later used in the 2026 Iran war including to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles in Turkish airspace.[13][14]
Development
The SM-3 evolved from the proven SM-2 Block IV design. The SM-3 uses the same solid rocket booster and dual thrust rocket motor as the Block IV missile for the first and second stages and the same steering control section and midcourse missile guidance for maneuvering in the atmosphere. To support the extended range of an exo-atmospheric intercept, additional missile thrust is provided in a new third stage for the SM-3 missile, containing a dual pulse rocket motor for the early exo-atmospheric phase of flight.[15]
Initial work to adapt SM-3 for land deployment ("Aegis ashore") was undertaken for Israel, but Israel chose to pursue development of the Arrow 3. A group in the Obama administration envisioned a European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA) and SM-3 was chosen as the main vector of this effort because the competing U.S. THAAD does not have enough range and would have required too many sites in Europe to provide adequate coverage. Compared to the GMD's Ground-Based Interceptor however, the SM-3 Block I has about 1⁄5 to 1⁄6 of the range. A significant improvement in this respect, the SM-3 Block II variant widens the missile's diameter from 0.34 to 0.53 m (13 to 21 in), making it more suitable against intermediate-range ballistic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles.[16][8]
The highly modified Block IIA missile shares only the first-stage motor with the Block I. The Block IIA was "designed to allow for Japan to protect against a North Korean attack with fewer deployed ships" but it is also the key element of the EPAA phase 3 deployment in Europe. The Block IIA is being jointly developed by Raytheon and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries; the latter manages "the third-stage rocket motor and nose cone". The U.S. budgeted cost to date is $1.51 billion for the Block IIA.[17]
On 15 October 2024, RTX announced that the SM-3 Block IIA entered full-rate production.[18]
Operation and performance
The ship's AN/SPY-1 radar finds the ballistic missile target and the Aegis weapon system calculates a fire-control solution. The Aerojet Mk 72 solid-fuel rocket booster launches the SM-3 from the ship's Mark 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS). After booster burnout, the booster separates and the Mk 104 dual-thrust rocket motor provides propulsion through the atmosphere. The missile receives midcourse guidance from the launching ship. The Mk 136 third-stage rocket motor then fires to carry the missile above the atmosphere, where required.[19]
After the third stage separates, the Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP) kinetic warhead searches for the target using pointing data from the launching ship. The throttleable divert and attitude control system allows the kinetic warhead to maneuver during the final phase of the engagement. The warhead's sensors identify the target and guide the interceptor to impact; according to Raytheon, an intercept releases about 130 megajoules (96,000,000 ft⋅lbf; 31 kilograms of TNT) of kinetic energy at the point of collision.[19]
Independent assessments of early SM-3 testing before 2010 questioned the system's demonstrated success rate and the realism of some target engagements.[20][21][22] The Missile Defense Agency disputed those conclusions, arguing that the studies included early developmental tests and did not reflect later operationally configured Aegis BMD and SM-3 testing.[23]
Later SM-3 tests included both successes and failures. On 25 October 2012, an SM-3 Block IA failed to intercept a short-range ballistic missile target.[24] In May 2013, an SM-3 Block IB intercepted a complex separating short-range ballistic missile target.[25] On 4 October 2013, an SM-3 Block IB intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile target in what Raytheon described at the time as the highest-altitude SM-3 intercept to date.[26]
The SM-3 Block IIA, developed jointly by the United States and Japan, began flight testing in 2015. Its first flight test, on 6 June 2015, evaluated missile functions including nosecone performance, steering control, and stage separation, but did not include an intercept attempt.[27] On 3 February 2017, USS John Paul Jones used an SM-3 Block IIA to intercept a medium-range ballistic missile target.[28][29] A later Block IIA test from the same ship failed on 21 June 2017 after a sailor mistakenly designated the target as friendly, causing the interceptor to self-destruct as designed.[30][31] Another Block IIA test missed its target on 31 January 2018.[32][33] On 26 October 2018, John Paul Jones detected, tracked, and destroyed a medium-range ballistic missile target with an SM-3 Block IIA launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kauaʻi, Hawaii.[34]
On 16 November 2020, USS John Finn used an SM-3 Block IIA to intercept a simulated intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) target for the first time. The target was launched from the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll, and John Finn used off-board tracking data through the Command and Control Battle Management Communications network before launching the interceptor.[35] The Navy described the event as a test of the feasibility of using SM-3 Block IIA as part of a layered homeland defense architecture, while noting that the missile had originally been designed for intermediate-range ballistic missile threats.[35]
In February 2024, the Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Navy conducted Flight Test Other-23, also called Stellar Sisyphus, off the coast of the Pacific Missile Range Facility. The test demonstrated Aegis tracking and discrimination against a medium-range ballistic missile target with countermeasures, followed by an SM-3 Block IIA intercept of the target.[36] The Director, Operational Test and Evaluation reported that in fiscal year 2024 Aegis BMD demonstrated the ability to track, discriminate, engage, and intercept a medium-range ballistic missile target with countermeasures using an SM-3 Block IIA.[37]
During the April 2024 Iranian strikes against Israel, the SM-3 was used in combat for the first time. The Director, Operational Test and Evaluation reported that two Aegis BMD destroyers successfully engaged Iranian ballistic missile threats targeting Israel with SM-3 Block IB missiles.[37] USNI News reported that USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and USS Carney (DDG-64), operating in the eastern Mediterranean, fired four to seven SM-3 interceptors at Iranian ballistic missiles.[38] In the October 2024 Iranian strikes against Israel, two U.S. guided-missile destroyers again engaged Iranian missiles, using a combination of weapons that included SM-3 interceptors.[39]
During the 2026 Iran war, U.S. Navy destroyers in the eastern Mediterranean were reported to have used SM-3 interceptors against Iranian ballistic missiles approaching or entering Turkish airspace. On 4 March 2026, Turkey said NATO air and missile defense assets in the eastern Mediterranean had intercepted an Iranian ballistic missile headed toward Turkish airspace; USNI News reported that the Pentagon did not identify the firing platform, while later reports identified USS Oscar Austin (DDG-79) as the destroyer involved.[40] Reuters reported that NATO air defenses had shot down three ballistic missiles fired from Iran toward Turkey by 13 March 2026.[41] Business Insider, citing a defense official, reported that U.S. Navy destroyers had used SM-3s three times to defend Turkish airspace since the start of U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.[42] In May 2026, The Washington Post reported, based on Defense Department assessments described by U.S. officials, that U.S. naval vessels in the eastern Mediterranean had fired more than 100 SM-3 and SM-6 interceptors during hostilities with Iran.[43]
Variants

The SM-3 block IA version provides an incremental upgrade to improve reliability and maintainability at a reduced cost.[44]
SM-3 block II will widen the missile body to 21 in (530 mm) and decrease the size of the maneuvering fins. It will still fit in Mk41 vertical launch systems, and the missile will be faster and have longer range.
The SM-3 block IIA is a joint Raytheon/Mitsubishi Heavy Industries project, adding a larger diameter kill vehicle that is more maneuverable, and carrying another sensor/ discrimination upgrade. It was scheduled to debut around 2015, whereupon the Navy will have a weapon that can engage some intercontinental ballistic missiles.[45]
| Designation | Block | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| RIM-161A | SM-3 block I | Development version. The SM-3 block I uses the basic SM-2ER block IVA airframe and propulsion
|
| RIM-161B | SM-3 block IA |
|
| RIM-161C | SM-3 block IB | Passed critical design review on 13 July 2009.
|
| RIM-161D | SM-3 block IIA |
|
| None to date | SM-3 block IIB |
|
Table sources, reference material:[46][47][48]
A further SM-3 block IIB was "conceived for fielding in Europe around 2022".[49] In March 2013, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel announced that the development program of the SM-3 block IIB, also known as the "next generation AEGIS missile" (NGAM), was undergoing restructuring. Under Secretary James N. Miller was quoted saying that "We no longer intend to add them [SM-3 block IIB] to the mix, but we'll continue to have the same number of deployed interceptors in Poland that will provide coverage for all of NATO in Europe", explaining that Poland is scheduled instead for the deployment of "about 24 SM-3 IIA interceptors – same timeline, same footprint of U.S. forces to support that."[50] A US defense official was quoted saying that "The SM3 IIB phase four interceptors that we are now not going to pursue never existed other than on Power Points; it was a design objective."[51] Daniel Nexon connected the backpedaling of the administration on the block IIB development with pre-election promises made by Obama to Dmitry Medvedev.[52] Pentagon spokesman George E. Little denied however that Russian objections played any part in the decision.[53]
Operational history
United States
Missile defense
In September 2009, President Obama announced plans to scrap plans for missile defense sites in East Europe, in favor of missile defense systems located on US Navy warships.[54] On 18 September 2009, Russian Prime Minister Putin welcomed Obama's plans for missile defense which may include stationing American Aegis armed warships in the Black Sea.[55][56] This deployment began to occur that same month, with the deployment of Aegis-equipped warships with the RIM-161 SM-3 missile system, which complements the Patriot systems already deployed by American units.[57][58]
In February 2013, a SM-3 intercepted a test IRBM target using tracking data from a satellite for the first time.[59][60] On 23 April 2014, Raytheon announced that the U.S. Navy and the Missile Defense Agency had started to deploy the SM-3 Block 1B missile operationally. The deployment starts the second phase of the Phased Adaptive Approach (PAA) adopted in 2009 to protect Europe from Iranian ballistic missile threats.[61] In the Far East the US Navy and Japan plan to deploy increased numbers of the next generation SM-3 Block IIA weapons on their ships.[62][63]
The first use of the SM-3 in combat occurred during the April 2024 Iranian strikes against Israel. Engineering:USS Carney and Engineering:USS Arleigh Burke used four to seven missiles[11] to shoot down at least six Iranian ballistic missiles.[12]
The SM-3 has also been used by the US during the 2026 Iran war including to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles in Turkish airspace.[64][14]
In March 2026 an SM-3 was reportedly fired at an Iranian intermediate-range ballistic missile heading for the joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia.[65]
Anti-satellite

On February 14, 2008, U.S. officials announced plans to use a modified SM-3 missile launched from a group of three ships in the North Pacific to destroy the failed American satellite USA-193 at an altitude of 130 nautical miles (240 kilometers) shortly before atmospheric reentry. Officials publicly stated that the intention was to "reduce the danger to human beings" due to the release of toxic hydrazine fuel carried on board,[66][67] but in secret dispatches, US officials indicated that the strike was, in fact, military in nature.[68] A stated that software associated with the SM-3 had been modified to enhance the chances of the missile's sensors recognizing that the satellite was its target, since the missile was not designed for ASAT operations. On February 21, 2008, at 03:26 UTC, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser Engineering:USS Lake Erie fired a single SM-3 missile, hit and successfully destroyed the satellite, with a closing velocity of about 22,783 mph (36,666 km/h; 10.185 km/s) while the satellite was 247 kilometers (153 miles) above the Pacific Ocean.[69][70] Engineering:USS Decatur, Engineering:USS Russell as well as other land, air, sea and space-based sensors were involved in the operation.[71][72] The use of the missile was believed to be an anti-satellite weapon test in response to a similar 2007 test by China.[10]
Japan
In December 2007, Japan conducted a successful test of an SM-3 block IA aboard JS Kongō against a ballistic missile. This was the first time a JMSDF vessel was employed to launch the interceptor missile during a test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. In previous tests the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force had provided tracking and communications.[73][74]
In November 2008 a second Japanese-American joint test was performed from JS Chōkai which was unsuccessful. Following a failure review board, JFTM-3 occurred launching from JS Myōkō resulting in a successful intercept in October 2009.[75] October 28, 2010 a successful test was performed from JDS Kirishima. The U.S. Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauaʻi launched the ballistic missile target. The crew of Kirishima, operating off the coast of Kauaʻi, detected and tracked the target before firing a SM-3 Block IA missile.[76][77]
The Japanese Defense Ministry is considering allocating money in the fiscal 2015 state budget for research on introducing the ground-based SM-3. Japanese ballistic missile defense strategy involves ship-based SM-3s to intercept missiles in space, while land-based Patriot PAC-3 missiles shoot down missiles SM-3s fail to intercept. Due to concern that PAC-3s could not respond to massive numbers of missiles fired simultaneously, and that the Maritime Self-Defense Force needs Aegis destroyers for other missions, basing SM-3s on land would be able to intercept more missiles earlier. With a coverage radius of 500 km (310 mi), three missile posts could defend all of Japan; launch pads can be disassembled, moved to other locations, and rebuilt in 5–10 days. Ground-basing of the SM-3 is dubbed "Aegis Ashore."[78] By October 2016, Japan was considering procuring either Aegis Ashore or THAAD to add a new missile defense layer.[79]
On August 31, 2022, the Japan Ministry of Defense announced that JMSDF will operate two "Aegis system equipped ships" (イージス・システム搭載艦 in Japanese) to replace the earlier plan of Aegis Ashore installations, commissioning one by the end of fiscal year 2027, and the other by the end of FY2028. The budget for design and other related expenses are to be submitted in the form of "item requests", without specific amounts, and the initial procurement of the lead items are expected to clear legislation by FY2023. Construction is to begin in the following year of FY2024. At 20,000 tons each, both vessels will be the largest surface combatant warships operated by the JMSDF, and according to Popular Mechanics, they will "arguably [be] the largest deployable surface warships in the world.".[80][81][82][83]
On 16 November 2022, the guided-missile destroyer Maya fired an SM-3 Block IIA missile, successfully intercepting the target outside the atmosphere in the first launch of the missile from a Japanese warship. On 18 November 2022, the Haguro likewise fired an SM-3 Block IB missile with a successful hit outside the atmosphere. Both test firings were conducted at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauaʻi Island, Hawaii, in cooperation with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Missile Defense Agency. This was the first time the two ships conducted SM-3 firings in the same time period, and the tests validated the ballistic missile defense capabilities of Japan's newest Maya-class destroyers.[84]
NATO host countries
Poland
On July 3, 2010, Poland and the United States signed an amended agreement for missile defense under whose terms land-based SM-3 systems would be installed in Poland at Redzikowo. This configuration was accepted as a tested and available alternative to missile interceptors that were proposed during the Bush administration but which are still under development. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, present at the signing in Kraków along with Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, stressed that the missile defense program was aimed at deterring threats from Iran, and posed no challenge to Russia.[85] As of March 2013[update], Poland is scheduled to host "about 24 SM3 IIA interceptors"[50] in 2018. This deployment is part of phase 3 of the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA).[86]
Romania
In 2010/2011 the US government announced plans to station land-based SM-3s (Block IB) in Romania at Deveselu starting in 2015,[87][88] part of phase 2 of EPAA.[86] There are some tentative plans to upgrade them to Block IIA interceptors around 2018 as well (EPAA phase 3). In March 2013, a US defense official was quoted saying "The Romanian cycle will start out in 2015 with the SM-3 IB; that system is in flight testing now and doing quite well. We are very confident it is on track and on budget, with very good test results. We are fully confident the missile we are co-developing with Japan, the SM-3 IIA, will have proved in flight testing, once we get to that phase. Assuming success in that flight testing, then we will have ready the option of upgrading the Romanian site to the SM-3 IIA, either all of the interceptor tubes or we'll have a mix. We have to make that decision. But both options will be there."[51]
The SM-3 Block IIB (currently in development for EPAA phase 4[86]) was considered for deployment to Romania as well (around 2022[49]), but a GAO report released Feb. 11, 2013 found that "SM-3 Block 2B interceptors launched from Romania would have difficulty engaging Iranian ICBMs launched at the United States because it lacks the range. Turkey is a better option, but only if the interceptors can be launched within 100 miles of the launch site and early enough to hit targets in their boost phase, an engagement scenario that presents a whole new set of challenges. The best basing option is in the North Sea, but making the SM-3 Block 2B ship compatible could add significantly to its cost".[89] The troubles of the Block IIB program however do not affect the planned Block IB deployments in Romania.[51][90]
Operators
Current operators
Japan
South Korea — Ordered in October 2018.[91]
United States
Aegis Ashore
Romania
Poland
Potential operators
Netherlands is planning to buy SM-3 missiles for their De Zeven Provinciën class frigates as part of the Defensienota 2022 (Strategic Plan 2022) to supplement the BMD sensor capabilities.
Turkey is considering the SM-3s for its upcoming TF-2000 destroyer program. Instead of Aegis guidance, Turkey plans on integrating a more advanced version of HAVELSAN's Genesis architecture and a phased array radar built by ASELSAN.[92] Genesis is currently jointly offered with Raytheon as a C4ISR upgrade for Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates around the world.[93]
Gallery
-
SM-3 launch from Engineering:USS Lake Erie, 2005
-
SM-3 launch from Engineering:USS Shiloh, 2006
-
SM-3 climb from Engineering:USS Decatur, 2007
-
SM-3 climb from USS Lake Erie, 2008
See also
- ArcLight, DARPA's program on developing ground attack missile based on SM-3's booster
- Arrow 3, Israel's home-grown alternative
- THAAD, US Army's solution
- RIM-174 Standard ERAM, (SM-6)
- Comparison of anti-ballistic missile systems
References
- ↑ Range and ceiling figures based on absolute 700s capability shown for Block IIA missile in Figure 4 at linked source—"Breaking Defense".[6] Intercept capability against an SS-19 Stiletto launched from Kaliningrad against New York is shown as approximately 1,200 km range and 900 km ceiling for a North Sea intercept. Range and ceiling against a hypothetical Iranian ICBM launched against the same target is shown as approximately 1,200 km and 1,050 km respectively in Figure 3 of the same source for an intercept coming from Redzikowo, Poland.
- ↑ "Raytheon: SM-3 Interceptor". https://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/sm-3.
- ↑ "U.S. Navy Warships Fire SM‑3 Missiles For the First Time To Shoot Down Iranian Missiles". https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/u-s-navy-warships-fire-sm-3-missiles-for-the-first-time-to-shoot-down-iranian-missiles/.
- ↑ Matisek, Macdonald Amoah, Morgan D. Bazilian, Jahara (2026-03-05). "The First 36 Hours of War Consumed Over 3,000 U.S.-Israeli Munitions" (in en-US). https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/03/05/iran-war-munitions-critical-minerals/.
- ↑ O'Rourke, Ronald (2011-04-19). "Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Program: Background and Issues for Congress". Federation of American Scientists. https://fas.org/sgp/crs/weapons/RL33745.pdf.
- ↑ "United States Department of Defense Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Request – Program Acquisition Cost By Weapon System". Office of the U.S. Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller). pp. 1–7. https://comptroller.war.gov/portals/45/documents/defbudget/fy2018/fy2018_weapons.pdf.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Why Russia Keeps Moving the Football on European Missile Defense". Breaking Defense. October 17, 2013. http://breakingdefense.com/2013/10/17/why-russia-keeps-moving-the-football-on-european-missile-defense-politics/.
- ↑ Raytheon Completes SM-3 Test Flight Against Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile , Raytheon Company, Retrieved 6 September 2011
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "U.S. Successfully Conducts SM-3 Block IIA Intercept Test Against an Intercontinental Balli" (in en-US). https://www.war.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/2417334/us-successfully-conducts-sm-3-block-iia-intercept-test-against-an-intercontinen/.
- ↑ Pentagon news briefing of February 14, 2008 (video, transcript): although no name for the satellite is given, the launch date of December 14, 2006 is stated
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 fpifadmin (2008-04-01). "Arms Race in Space - FPIF" (in en-US). https://fpif.org/arms_race_in_space/.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lagrone, Sam (2024-04-15). "SM-3 Ballistic Missile Interceptor Used for First Time in Combat, Officials Confirm". USNI News. https://news.usni.org/2024/04/15/sm-3-ballistic-missile-interceptor-used-for-first-time-in-combat-officials-confirm.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Klippenstein, Ken; Boguslaw, Daniel (2024-04-15). "U.S., Not Israel, Shot Down Most Iran Drones and Missiles" (in en-US). The Intercept. https://theintercept.com/2024/04/15/iran-attack-israel-drones-missiles/.
- ↑ Matisek, Macdonald Amoah, Morgan D. Bazilian, Jahara (2026-03-05). "The First 36 Hours of War Consumed Over 3,000 U.S.-Israeli Munitions" (in en-US). https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/03/05/iran-war-munitions-critical-minerals/.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Epstein, Jake (March 13, 2026). "US Navy destroyers are firing top interceptors to bring down Iranian missiles flying into NATO airspace". https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/us-navy-destroyers-firing-top-152256321.html.
- ↑ "RIM-161 SM-3 Upgrades". 2008. http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/sm3-upgrades.htm.
- ↑ "SM-3 BMD, in from the Sea: EPAA & Aegis Ashore". Defenseindustrydaily.com. 2013-03-15. http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/land-based-sm-3s-for-israel-04986/.
- ↑ Butler, Amy (7 Aug 2012). "MDA Still Sees 2018 Deployment in Restructured SM-3 IIA Plan". http://aviationweek.com/awin/mda-still-sees-2018-deployment-restructured-sm-3-iia-plan.
- ↑ "RTX's Raytheon SM-3® Block IIA achieves full-rate production approval" (in en). https://www.rtx.com/news/news-center/2024/10/15/rtxs-raytheon-sm-3-block-iia-achieves-full-rate-production-approval.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Raytheon's SM-3 fact sheet". http://www.raytheon.com/products/stellent/groups/public/documents/content/cms01_055769.pdf.
- ↑ William J. Broad and David E. Sanger, "Review Cites Flaws in U.S. Antimissile Program", The New York Times, 17 May 2010.
- ↑ Clay Dillow, "Obama's 'Proven' SM-3 Missile Interceptor May Only Succeed 20 Percent of the Time, Say Physicists" , Popular Science, 18 May 2010.
- ↑ George N. Lewis and Theodore A. Postol, "A Flawed and Dangerous U.S. Missile Defense Plan", Arms Control Association, 5 May 2010.
- ↑ Lehner, Richard (18 May 2010). "Missile Defense Agency Responds to New York Times Article". DoD Live. http://www.dodlive.mil/index.php/2010/05/missile-defense-agency-responds-to-new-york-times-article/.
- ↑ Defense Tech (19 December 2012). "MDA lays out 2013 testing plans". Defense Tech. http://defensetech.org/2012/12/19/mda-lays-out-2013-testing-plans/.
- ↑ Wichner, David (17 May 2013). "Raytheon missile passes an important test flight". Arizona Daily Star. http://azstarnet.com/business/local/raytheon-missile-passes-an-important-test-flight/article_ae2220a5-e126-51a3-9796-e8ff4476f5e9.html.
- ↑ Raytheon's newest SM-3 intercepts medium-range ballistic missile target at highest altitude to date . Navy Recognition. 4 October 2013.
- ↑ Shalal, Andrea (7 June 2015). "US, Japan say first test of Raytheon's new SM-3 missile a success". https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-japan-missiledefense-idUSL1N0YT08K20150607.
- ↑ Lendon, Brad (6 February 2017). "US, Japan conduct successful missile intercept". http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/05/politics/us-japan-aegis-missile-defense-test/index.html.
- ↑ "VIDEO: New SM-3 Block IIA Intercepts Ballistic Missile in Space For First Time". 6 February 2017. https://news.usni.org/2017/02/06/standard-missile-3-block-iia-intercepts-target-in-space-for-first-time.
- ↑ "17-NEWS-0006: Aegis Missile Defense Test Conducted". 21 June 2017. https://www.mda.mil/news/17news0006.html.
- ↑ Larter, David B. (24 July 2017). "Sailor error led to failed US Navy ballistic missile intercept test". https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2017/07/24/sailor-error-led-to-failed-us-navy-ballistic-missile-intercept-test/.
- ↑ Trevithick, Joseph (31 January 2018). "US Missile Defense Test Fails As N. Korea Plans Parade With Hundreds of Ballistic Missiles". https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/18139/us-missile-defense-test-fails-as-n-korea-plans-parade-with-hundreds-of-ballistic-missiles.
- ↑ Helene Cooper and Eric Schmitt, "U.S. test of a missile interceptor fails off the coast of Hawaii, officials say", The New York Times, 1 February 2018, p. A10.
- ↑ "U.S. Successfully Conducts SM-3 Block IIA Intercept Test". United States Indo-Pacific Command. 26 October 2018. https://www.pacom.mil/Media/News/Article/1675851/us-successfully-conducts-sm-3-block-iia-intercept-test/.
- ↑ "Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy Successfully Demonstrate Aegis Weapon System Capabilities against Advanced Countermeasure Missile Target". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. 9 February 2024. https://www.dvidshub.net/news/463534/missile-defense-agency-and-us-navy-successfully-demonstrate-aegis-weapon-system-capabilities-against-advanced-countermeasure-missile-target.
- ↑ 37.0 37.1 "FY2024 Annual Report: Missile Defense System". Director, Operational Test and Evaluation. 2025. https://www.dote.osd.mil/Portals/97/pub/reports/FY2024/other/2024mds.pdf.
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- ↑ Shelbourne, Mallory; Lagrone, Sam (2 October 2024). "U.S. Destroyers Successfully Down Iranian Missiles with SM-3s, Carrier USS Harry S. Truman Now in U.S. 6th Fleet". https://news.usni.org/2024/10/02/u-s-destroyers-successfully-down-iranian-missiles-with-sm-3s-carrier-uss-harry-s-truman-now-in-u-s-6th-fleet.
- ↑ Shelbourne, Mallory (4 March 2026). "NATO Shoots Down Iranian Missile Headed for Turkey". https://news.usni.org/2026/03/04/nato-shoots-down-iranian-missile-headed-for-turkey.
- ↑ "Turkey says NATO defences intercepted third missile from Iran, asks Tehran to clarify". Reuters. 13 March 2026. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkey-says-nato-defences-intercepted-third-missile-iran-asks-tehran-clarify-2026-03-13/.
- ↑ Epstein, Jake (13 March 2026). "US Navy destroyers are firing top interceptors to bring down Iranian missiles flying into NATO airspace". https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-destroyers-firing-top-interceptors-down-iranian-missiles-2026-3.
- ↑ Hudson, John (21 May 2026). "U.S. bears brunt of Israel's missile defense, Pentagon assessments show". The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/05/21/us-bears-brunt-israels-missile-defense-pentagon-assessments-show/.
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- ↑ 49.0 49.1 Oswald, Rachel. "U.S. Looking "Very Hard" at Future of Missile Interceptor: Pentagon | Global Security Newswire". NTI. http://www.nti.org/gsn/article/us-looking-very-hard-halting-development-icbm-interceptor-miller/.
- ↑ 50.0 50.1 Eshel, Tamir (March 16, 2013). "Alaska's Ground Based Interceptors to Pivot US Defenses Against North Korea". Defense Update. http://defense-update.com/20130316_alaska-to-pivot-us-missile-defenses-again.html.
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 "US defence official: The Deveselu base will be equipped with SM-3 IB interceptors by 2015, later on to be upgraded | ACTMedia". Actmedia.eu. 2013-03-25. http://actmedia.eu/daily/us-defence-official-the-deveselu-base-will-be-equipped-with-sm3-ib-interceptors-by-2015-later-on-to-be-upgraded/45087.
- ↑ Nexon, Daniel (2013-03-17). "Washington "Cancels" Fourth Stage of European Phased Adaptive Approach – Duck of Minerva". Whiteoliphaunt.com. http://www.whiteoliphaunt.com/duckofminerva/2013/03/washington-cancels-four-state-of-european-phased-adaptive-approach.html.
- ↑ Herszenhorn, David M.; Gordon, Michael R. (16 March 2013). "U.S. Cancels Part of Missile Defense That Russia Opposed". New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/17/world/europe/with-eye-on-north-korea-us-cancels-missile-defense-russia-opposed.html?_r=0.
- ↑ Peter Baker, "White House Scraps Bush's Approach to Missile Shield" New York Times, 9/18/09.
- ↑ "Russia's Putin praises Obama's missile defense decision", Los Angeles Times, 9/19/09.
- ↑ Tom Ricks, "No missile defense in Eastern Europe" , Foreign Policy, 9/17/09.
- ↑ Article on Sm-3 missile system, strategypage.com, 10/4/09.
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- ↑ U.S. Deploys First SM-3 Block IB Missile – News.USNI.org, 23 April 2014
- ↑ Missile Defense Project, "Standard Missile-3 (SM-3)," Missile Threat, Center for Strategic and International Studies, June 14, 2016, last modified July 15, 2021, CSIS website Retrieved 9 February 2022.
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- ↑ Baldor, Lolita C. (2008-02-15). "US to Try to Shoot Down Spy Satellite". Washington Post. Associated Press. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021500307.html.
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- ↑ MDA press release . 17 December 2007.
- ↑ JFTM-2 & 3 dates
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- ↑ Japan may accelerate missile defense upgrades in wake of North Korean tests: sources – Reuters.com, 17 October 2016
- ↑ Lia Wong (1 September 2022). "Japanese Defense Budget Expansion Includes Two 20,000 Ton Cruisers". https://www.overtdefense.com/2022/09/01/japanese-defense-budget-expansion-includes-two-20000-ton-cruisers/.
- ↑ Dzirhan Mahadzir (6 September 2022). "Japan to Build Two 20,000-ton Missile Defense Warships, Indian Carrier Commissions". https://news.usni.org/2022/09/06/japan-to-build-two-massive-20000-ton-missile-defense-warships-indian-carrier-commissions#more-97081/.
- ↑ Yoshihiro Inaba (1 September 2022). "Japan's New "Aegis Equipped Ships": What We Know So Fars". https://www.overtdefense.com/2022/09/01/japanese-defense-budget-expansion-includes-two-20000-ton-cruisers/.
- ↑ Mizokami, Kyle (12 September 2022). "Japan is Building the Biggest Warships in Asia". https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/navy-ships/a41123804/japan-to-build-20-000-ton-warships/.
- ↑ Mahadzir, Dzirhan (November 21, 2022). "Two Japanese Destroyers Score in Ballistic Missile Defense Test off Hawaii". United States Naval Institute. https://news.usni.org/2022/11/21/two-japanese-destroyers-score-in-ballistic-missile-defense-test-off-hawaii#more-99073.
- ↑ US, Poland Sign Revised Missile Defense Accord http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/library/news/2010/space-100703-voa01.htm
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- ↑ "Joint Press Availability With Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi". State.gov. 2011-09-13. https://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2011/09/172305.htm.
- ↑ "Editorial | Rethink the SM-3 Block 2B". SpaceNews.com. 2013-02-25. http://www.spacenews.com/article/editorial-rethink-the-sm-3-block-2b.
- ↑ de Andrei Luca Popescu (2013-05-06). "EXCLUSIV. Frank Rose, negociatorul scutului de la Deveselu: "Schimbările din programul american de apărare antirachetă au fost determinate de ameninţarea Coreei de Nord "". Gandul. http://www.gandul.info/interviurile-gandul/exclusiv-frank-rose-negociatorul-scutului-de-la-deveselu-schimbarile-din-programul-american-de-aparare-antiracheta-au-fost-determinate-de-amenintarea-coreei-de-nord-10833598.
- ↑ Jeong, Jeff (12 October 2018). "South Korea to buy ship-based interceptors to counter ballistic missile threats". Seoul. https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2018/10/12/south-korea-to-buy-ship-based-interceptors-to-counter-ballistic-missile-threats/.
- ↑ "Lockheed Martin remains sole bidder for new frigates". TR Defence. 2012-05-21. http://www.trdefence.com/2012/05/21/lockheed-remains-sole-bidder-for-new-frigates/.
- ↑ "Raytheon and HAVELSAN Partner for FFG 7 Fleet Modernization With GENESIS Program". Raytheon.mediaroom.com. 2009-04-28. http://raytheon.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=1252.
External links
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to RIM-161 Standard Missile 3. |
- Pros and Cons of Missile Shield in Romania 2010
- U.S. Navy Fact File: Standard Missile
- Designation-systems – RIM-161 Standard SM-3
- GlobalSecurity.org – RIM-161 Standard SM-3
- Astronautix.com – Raytheon RIM-161 Standard SM-3
- Obama Shifts Gears on Missile Defense, by Cole Harvey, armscontrol.org, October 2009.
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