SM-6 Missile Used To Strike Frigate During Massive Sinking Exercise In Pacific
Thomas Newdick - Yesterday 3:56 PM
The U.S. Navy concluded its latest Valiant Shield exercise last week by sinking the decommissioned frigate USS Vandegrift (FFG-48) using a Standard Missile 6, or SM-6, in a demonstration of what the service term “coordinated multi-domain, multi-axis, long-range maritime strikes.” The sinking exercise (SINKEX) not only served as the finale for the two-week series of maneuvers but also shed light on the SM-6’s still-evolving offensive anti-surface warfare capability, which it adds to an already impressive roster of applications.
. Over the course of three days, the crew of John Paul Jones successfully engaged six targets, firing a total of five missiles that included four SM-6 models and one Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) model. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)
As well as its core ability to shoot down air-breathing threats like aircraft and cruise missiles, the SM-6 can be used to swat incoming ballistic missiles in the terminal phases of flight, target certain hypersonic weapons in some instances, and even has a serious land-attack capability.
The Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53) launches a Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) during an earlier live-fire test that took place in the Pacific in 2014. U.S. Navy photo/Released
In the demonstration of the SM-6’s anti-ship role on June 17, an example of the missile was launched from the Arleigh Burke class destroyer USS Benfold (DDG-65) and targeted the decommissioned Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate USS Vandegrift.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/sm-6-missile-used-to-strike-frigate-during-massive-sinking-exercise-in-pacific/ar-AAYG8tL?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=a5bd578fb73f41c483d65fd4be9fbd42
