Page 44 - Australian Defence Magazine April-May 2021

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SEA POWER MISSILES
APRIL-MAY 2021 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
“FUTURE FUNDING AS DETAILED IN THE 2020
FORCE STRUCTURE PLAN IS GENEROUS – $2.9- 4.4 BILLION FOR THE AEGIS UPGRADES OUT TO 2028 TOGETHER WITH THE $16.1-24.2 BILLION PROPOSED FOR MARITIME GUIDED WEAPONS OVER THE NEXT TWO DECADES UNDER SEA 1300.”
AMRAAM is also being acquired by Army for their NASAMS ground-based air defence weapon system.
All previous SM-2 generations have employed semi-active radar homing: the introduction of a medium-range active capability will provide improved performance against mul- tiple threats, increased depth of fire, and improved firepow- er due to decreased dependence on illuminators.
Block IIIC production for the US Navy is expected to start this year, with initial operational capability (IOC) planned for mid-2023. Existing Block IIIB missiles can be upgraded to the newer configuration at a cost of more than US$2 mil- lion per unit.
SM-6
Contributing to further development of Raytheon’s SM-6 Block 1 missile foreshadows Australia becoming one of the first export customers for this versatile albeit expensive missile, although it has been in service with the US Navy since 2013.
The SM-6 combines the proven airframe of the SM-2, the AMRAAM-derived active seeker, and the larger propul- sion booster stack of the SM-3 with its LEAP (Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile) hit-to-kill kinetic manoeuvring warhead for short to medium range ballistic missile defence.
With a range of about 240 kilometres, the SM-6 Block 1 can undertake Mach 3.5 over-the-horizon anti-air and anti-ship missions in addition to terminal phase ballistic missile defence.
The latter capability requires a significant upgrade to the DDGs (and in the future, the Hunters’) Aegis combat sys- tems from the current Baseline 7.1 Refresh 2 (equivalent to the US Navy’s Baseline 8) to the Baseline 9 configuration, in combination with the SM-6 as effector.
“The Standard Missile family of weapons integrates seamlessly into the Aegis combat system, which is the back- bone of Navy’s integrated air and missile defence capabil- ity,” a Defence spokesperson commented to ADM.
“Australia’s planned participation in future Standard Mis- sile development ensures the Aegis-fitted surface combat- ants such as the Hobart-class destroyer and Hunter-class frigates are fielding the most advanced systems in the world.”
FUTURE FUNDING
Future funding as detailed in the 2020 Force Structure Plan is generous – $2.9 – 4.4 billion for the Aegis upgrades out to 2028 together with the $16.1-24.2 billion proposed for Maritime Guided Weapons over the next two decades under Sea 1300.
More detailed funding lines in the Integrated Investment Program that accompanied the 2016 Defence White Paper included maritime anti-ship missiles and deployable land- based capability $4-5 billion; maritime area air defence weapons $3-4 billion; destroyer program area air defence weapons $2-3 billion; and ESSM program $1-2 billion.
ABOVE: HMAS Stuart conducts a live Harpoon Missile firing off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2020.
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