Raytheon awarded support contract for Standard surface-to-air missiles

Nov. 27 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy is awarding Raytheon Missile Systems is $37.3 million for repair and maintenance on SM-2 and SM-6 Standard surface-to-air missiles.

The Department of Defense, which announced the contract on Monday, has obligated $19 million in Navy 2019 operations and maintenance funding, with work expected to be finished by November 2019.

The SM-2 Standard is a series of surface-to-air missiles deployed on the Aegis-equipped Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and Ticonderoga-class cruiser surface combatants in the U.S. Navy, and has been widely exported.

The missile is designed primarily to target enemy aircraft and missiles at a range of over a hundred miles depending on the variant and has some surface strike capability.

The RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile, or SM-6, is designed to target aircraft and conventional missiles, surface targets and ballistic missiles in their terminal phase of descent.

Depending on the target, the SM-6 has a range of up to 290 miles or more and travels at a speed of up to Mach 3.5. It carries a 140 pound warhead and is guided by semi-active and active radar.

It is launched from surface ships using the MK 41 Vertical Launch System deployed on Ticonderogas and Arleigh Burkes. In March 2016, it was first used on a surface target, sinking the decommissioned frigate Reuben James.

The munitions have also been approved for by the State Department for international sales.