RIM-161 Standard SM-3 Missile Overview

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 canceled 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-Atmospheric 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.

Specifications

Data for RIM-161A:

• Length (incl. booster) 6.55 m (21 ft 6 in)
• Finspan 1.57 m (61.8 in)
• Diameter 0.34 m (13.5 in)
• Weight ?
• Speed 9600 km/h (6000 mph)
• Ceiling > 160 km (100 miles)
• Range > 500 km (270 nm)
• Propulsion Booster: United Technologies MK 72 solid-fueled rocket
• Sustainer: Atlantic Research Corp. MK 104 dual-thrust solid-fueled rocket
• 3rd stage: Alliant Techsystem MK 136 solid-fueled rocket
• Warhead Hit-to-kill kinetic warhead (KW)