Raytheon has received a contract valued at up to $24.4 billion to manufacture Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) multi-mission interceptors for the US Navy.
The five-year agreement includes options for two additional years and follows a major deal announced in February between RTX and the US Department of Defense aimed at increasing annual SM-6 production to more than 500 missiles.
SM-6: A Multi-Mission Missile
Raytheon describes the SM-6 as a combat-proven weapon capable of performing three primary missions: ballistic missile defense, air defense, and anti-surface warfare.
The missile measures approximately 21.6 feet (6.6 meters) in length, has a 3.6-foot (1.1-meter) wingspan, and weighs around 3,300 pounds (1,497 kilograms). It can reach speeds of up to Mach 3.5, equivalent to about 2,664 mph (4,288 km/h), with an operational range of approximately 230 miles (370 kilometers).
The SM-6 can be deployed from multiple US Navy surface combatants, including Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers.
Beyond naval platforms, the missile can also be launched from the US Army’s Typhon Mid-Range Capability system and has been integrated with the US Navy’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, expanding its role across land- and sea-based operations.
