Air Defense

Standard Missile-3 (SM-3)

The Standard Missile-3 is an exo-atmospheric hit-to-kill interceptor for Aegis ballistic missile defense, and the SM-3 Block IB made the family's first combat intercepts during the United States-Iran Conflict in 2024.

Conflict side
United States
Built by
Raytheon
Built in
United States
Standard Missile-3 (SM-3), Ship- and ground-launched ballistic missile interceptor, Air Defense

Service History

In service
Operational from 2005; later variants expanded the family into ship- and ground-launched ballistic missile defense.
Used by
United States Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

Production History

Built by
Raytheon
Built in
United States
Variants
Block IA, Block IB, Block IB Threat Upgrade, Block IIA

Specifications

Length
6.55 m
Range
About 700 km for Block IA/IB; about 2,500 km for Block IIA
Speed
About 3.0 km/s for Block IA/IB; about 4.5 km/s for Block IIA
Launcher
Mk 41 Vertical Launch System
Guidance
Inertial, command, and midcourse GPS
Propulsion
Solid-fuel, three-stage interceptor

Conflict Usage

United States-Iran Conflict
Side: United StatesRole: Sea-based ballistic missile defense interceptorair defense

In the United States-Iran Conflict, U.S. Navy destroyers fired SM-3 Block IB interceptors in April 2024 to intercept Iranian ballistic missiles headed toward Israeli targets.

Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Images

Related Weapon Systems

S-75 Dvina / SA-2 Guideline, High-altitude surface-to-air missile system, Air DefenseAir DefenseS-75 Dvina / SA-2 GuidelineHigh-altitude surface-to-air missile systemThe S-75 Dvina, known to NATO as the SA-2 Guideline, is a Soviet command-guided, high-altitude surface-to-air missile system built around fixed or semi-mobile launch sites, acquisition radar, and Fan Song guidance radar. In the Yemen Civil War, Houthi-aligned forces are documented as having inherited SA-2/S-75 stocks and converting some surviving missiles into Qaher and Muhit strike missiles, while the operational status of intact SA-2 SAM batteries remains uncertain.

Sources