Raytheon Demos Standard Missile-6 Surface Target Engagement

Raytheon has conducted a flight test of Standard Missile-6 wherein the air defense missile engaged the decommissioned USS Reuben James, which served as a surface target for the test.

The company said Monday the test aims to demonstrate the U.S. Navy‘s “distributed lethality” using ships placed in dispersed formation in an effort to enhance offensive strategy.

During the flight test, an SM-6 was fired from USS John Paul Jones while an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer served as the assist ship, Raytheon said.

Taylor Lawrence, Raytheon missile systems president, said the demonstration aims to leverage the anti-surface warfare functionalities of the Standard Missile family and MK7 Aegis Weapon System to support the U.S. fleet.

The Navy first deployed SM-6 missiles in 2013, the company noted.