Standard SM-3 Credit - via Andreas Parsch

ABM capability with LEAP homing vehicle. 3 stage rocket consisting of 1 x Mk 72 + 1 x Mk 104 + 1 x ASAS

Historical Essay © Andreas Parsch

Raytheon RIM-161 Standard SM-3

The SM-3 (Standard Missile 3) is a derivative of the RIM-156 Standard SM-2ER Block IV missile, and is the missile component of the U.S. Navy's forthcoming theater-wide ballistic missile defense system, called NTW-TBMD (Navy Theater Wide - Theater Ballistic Missile Defense). It is an upper-tier ballistic missile defense weapon, originally planned to complement the lower-tier SM-2ER Block IV A, but the latter has been cancelled in December 2001.

The SM-3 missile, designated RIM-161A, uses the basic SM-2ER Block IV A airframe and propulsion, and adds a third stage rocket motor (a.k.a. Advanced Solid Axial Starge, ASAS, made by Alliant Techsystems), a GPS/INS guidance section (a.k.a. GAINS, GPS-Aided Inertial Navigation System), and a LEAP (Lightweight Exo-Atmosspheric Projectile) kinetic warhead (i.e. a non-explosive hit-to-kill warhead). The launching ships will be updated with Aegis LEAP Intercept (ALI) computer soft- and hardware.

The LEAP uses a FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared) sensor to locate its target, and was tested in a 4-flight series called Terrier/LEAP from 1992 to 1995. These tests used modified Terrier and Standard SM-2 missiles. Two intercepts were attempted during these tests, but the LEAP failed to hit the target in both cases. The first flight-test of an RIM-161A SM-3 missile occurred in September 1999, and the third test (in January 2001) demonstrated successful missile flight and control up to fourth stage (i.e. kinetic warhead) separation. In January 2002, the first all-up test of an RIM-161A succeeded in hitting an Aries ballistic target missile. Testing of the basic SM-3 and ALI system capabilities will continue through 2003, and flight tests against more realistic targets are currently planned to begin in late 2003 or early 2004.

Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!

Data for RIM-161A:

[1] Norman Friedman: "World Naval Weapons Systems, 1997/98", Naval Institute Press, 1997
[2] "Vision... Presence... Power, A Program Guide to The U.S. Navy", 2000 Edition

Launches: 8. Failures: 1. Success Rate: 87.50%. First Launch Date: 1999-09-24. Last Launch Date: 2003-12-12. Launch data is: continuing. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). Total Mass: 1,300 kg (2,800 lb). Core Diameter: 0.53 m (1.73 ft). Total Length: 7.90 m (25.90 ft).

1999 September 24 - Launch Site: Barking Sands. Launch Complex: POA. Launch Pad: CG-67 USS Shiloh. Launch Vehicle: Standard SM-3. Model: SM-3. LV Configuration: SM-3 CTV-1A.

• Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 1855.

• Aegis LEPI Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 964.

• Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 965.

• LEAP Intercept Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 1823.

• Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 100 km (60 mi). References: 1952.

• Stellar Viper Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 152 km (94 mi). References: 1823.

• Aegis 4 Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). References: 1503.

• Test mission Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 137 km (85 mi). References: 1954.

• Japanese RV Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). Test References: 2.

• Stellar Predator Nation: USA. Agency: USN. Apogee: 150 km (90 mi). Test References: 2.

• FTM-11 Payload: SM-3 Kinetic Warhead. Agency: US Navy. Apogee: 160 km (90 mi). Interceptor - launched from CG-70 cruiser.

• FTM-12 Payload: SM-3 Kinetic Warhead. Agency: US Navy. Apogee: 160 km (90 mi). Interceptor