Australia fires land-based SM-2 air defence missile

The ADF has successfully trialled a ground-launched SM-2 naval air defence missile as an unexpected ‘candidate option’ for a future Medium-Range Ground-Based Air Defence (MRGBAD) system. The successful live-firing of the developmental system took place at Woomera and saw a ground-launched SM-2 destroy a BGM-74E cruise missile target during Exercise Taipan Strike 26.

This is the first use of the RIM-66 Standard SM-2 in the ground role and, according to Lockheed Martin, demonstrates a “robust air defence capability option paving the way for continued integration efforts.”

This year’s Defence’s Integrated Investment Plan (IIP) allocates some $10 billion over the coming decade to anti-missile and anti-air capabilities, including a previously cancelled MRGBAD system which it plans to acquire urgently this calendar year.

The capability will form part of the ADF;’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) system. Raytheon, manufacturer of the SM-2 and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-air missile, is prime contractor for the IAMD’s short-range AMRAAM-based National Advanced Surface-Air Missile System (NASAMS).

“Taipan Strike 26 is an Air Force-led Integrated Air and Missile Defence activity designed to explore medium range air defence capability options to inform capability acquisition decisions,” said Air Marshal Stephen Chappell, Chief of Air Force.

“This live fire demonstration provides accelerated capability options to deliver a medium-range, ground-based air defence capability for the Australian Defence Force,” said Jeremy King, CEO of Lockheed Martin Australia and New Zealand.  “This prototype system leverages existing weapons, launchers and command and control. It can fire any of the weapons currently fielded on the Hobart-class destroyers or future Hunter-class frigates.”

The firing integrated the SM-2 with a CEA Technologies ground-based Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) CEAFAR radar, whose range is an estimated 150km; this communicated with a Virtualised AEGIS weapon control system in a small-scale, expeditionary form factor. Virtualised AEGIS initialised a Lockheed Martin-made Derringer towed, two-cell Expeditionary Launch System, which launched the missile. Derringer appears to be based on the company’s Mk70 4-cell launcher and can be carried by a C-130J Hercules, though Lockheed Martin declined to discuss it.

The CEAFAR radar, which has been in RAN service for 15 years, is also in Australian Army service as the truck-mounted CEAOPS and lightweight Hawkei vehicle-mounted CEATAC radar for the Army’s NASAMS.

The SM-2 Block IIIC anti-aircraft version of the missile equips the RAN’s Hobart-class destroyers and is fired from a strike-length Mk41 Vertical Launch System. This version and the same launcher will also equip its Hunter-class Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) frigates. Australia ordered an undisclosed number of the SM-2 missiles in a AUD$7 billion contract with the US government in October 2024. It’s not known yet whether or not Australia’s stockpile of SM-2s will be increased further.

Both ships will be equipped also with the newer AMRAAM-derived RIM-174 Standard SM-6 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM), acquired under the same contract, which is designed to intercept ballistic missiles in the terminal phases of their trajectories. This may also be launched from the Derringer launcher to provide a land-based ABM System.

Both ship classes are also equipped with the AEGIS Combat System, currently being upgraded to the ABM Baseline 9 standard and fully interoperable with the Virtualised AEGIS system.

Other possible options for the Army’s future MRGBAD system could include the MIM-104 Patriot with PAC-3 missiles, MBDA’s SAMP/T NG, the Korean KM-SAM and Israeli Iron Dome or longer-range David’s Sling. All of these options would require either integration with CEAFAR or introduction of an all-new radar system, and all would require the ADF to acquire new missiles and launchers as well.

Lockheed Martin announced this month it will invest AUD$85.9 million in a secure Air Power Precinct at RAAF Base Williamtown, north of Sydney, for hardware assembly, integration, end‑to‑end testing and sustainment of sovereign IAMD software.

Defence is expected to make a decision on which option to adopt before the end of this calendar year.

It’s not known whether or not the SM-2, SM-6 missiles or AMRAAM missiles could be manufactured in Australia. Industry sources have highlighted the ability to sustain them in Australia rather than send them back to the United States, and that would significantly increase their availability.