Standard Missile Discussion

[Forest Green]

Document Likely Shows SM-6 Hypersonic Speed, Anti-Surface Role | Aviation Week Network

The terse reference in a written submission by Navy officials to the House Armed Services Committee on March 11 also likely offers the first proof that the SM-6 Block 1B remains in development.

aviationweek.com

“Additional work for guidance and control as well as warhead design will yield a new capability that provides antiair-warfare capability, including cruise missile defense, in support of ships [sic] self-defense, as well as anti-surface warfare,” Guerts’ testimony states.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1870129283043340470

 

[NMaude]

Imagine an air-launched SM-6 Block-IB.

 

[Forest Green]

Imagine an air-launched SM-6 Block-IB.

From an SR-72 perhaps.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Imagine an air-launched SM-6 Block-IB.

Have to launch those from a B-52, I don't think any of the Hornet pylons could take that big a load.

 

[Ozair]

Have to launch those from a B-52, I don't think any of the Hornet pylons could take that big a load.

I don't think it would be an issue. The 480 Gal tank total weight is 3600lbs and the current Blk 1 SM-6 is 3300lbs. I doubt a redesigned SM-6 Blk-1B is going to add more than another 20% to the weight of the total missile which brings it right around 4k lbs. The pylon limit would be either 4 or more likely 5k lbs.

 

[Scott Kenny]

I don't think it would be an issue. The 480 Gal tank total weight is 3600lbs and the current Blk 1 SM-6 is 3300lbs. I doubt a redesigned SM-6 Blk-1B is going to add more than another 20% to the weight of the total missile which brings it right around 4k lbs. The pylon limit would be either 4 or more likely 5k lbs.

current AIM174B is 13.5" diameter. Block-1Bs are 21" diameter. That's a 42% larger volume inside the body, so it's pretty safe to assume 42% heavier, roughly 2700lbs without the booster. The booster is ~1500lbs all by itself. Total stack would be 5200lbs or so.

Not that the USN could load a Block-1B on a plane, the stack is too tall for the weapons elevators.

 

[NMaude]

Have to launch those from a B-52, I don't think any of the Hornet pylons could take that big a load.

I was thinking more along the lines of the F-15.

I don't think it would be an issue. The 480 Gal tank total weight is 3600lbs and the current Blk 1 SM-6 is 3300lbs

This is a good point.

current AIM174B is 13.5" diameter. Block-1Bs are 21" diameter. That's a 42% larger volume inside the body, so it's pretty safe to assume 42% heavier, roughly 2700lbs without the booster.

I was thinking of an air-aunched SM-6 Block-IB without the Mk-72 launch-booster. However I think an F-15 could carry two SM-6 Block-IBs with Mk-72 boosters.

 

[Forest Green]

Have to launch those from a B-52, I don't think any of the Hornet pylons could take that big a load.

An F-15EX maybe though?

 

[TomS]

There is no point in talking about air-launching the whole SM-6 stack with Mk 72. It's just not going to happen. The loads on that joint between booster and missile would just be absurd.

 

[NMaude]

The loads on that joint between booster and missile would just be absurd.

I've thought about that and an air-launched full SM-6 stack would need a jettisonable rap-around clamshell shrouds encapsulation the Mk-72 booster and SM-6 tail-section to function as a strong-back to carry load.