Australian Navy gets first upgraded SM-2 missile

CANBERRA, Australia, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- The Royal Australian Navy has received its first upgraded Standard Missile-2 for the Hobart-class air warfare destroyers the country is building.

The Raytheon-made missile is used for defense against aircraft and anti-ship missiles out to 90 nautical miles and up to a maximum altitude of 65,000 feet.

Australia's first air warfare destroyer, the Hobart, is scheduled for delivery to the Royal Australian Navy next year by an alliance comprised of the government, shipbuilder ASC and Raytheon Australia. A total of three destroyers are being built to replace aging Adelaide-class frigates.

"This [delivery of the missile] is a milestone event ... as it ensures that the new destroyers have the most advanced area air defense weapon available in the world," said Commodore Simon Ottaviano, director general of the Defense Department's Explosive Materiel organization.

"The DDGs will use the Mk 41 Vertical Launch System where each missile is stored in its own canister until launched. The existing stock of SM 2 missiles will be converted from rail launch to vertical launch configuration to be used in the destroyers."