RIM-174 Standard ERAM

The RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM), or Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) is a missile in current production for the United States Navy. It was designed for extended range anti-air warfare (ER-AAW) purposes providing capability against fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and anti-ship cruise missiles in flight, both over sea and land. The missile uses the airframe of the earlier SM-2ER Block IV (RIM-156A) missile, adding the active radar homing seeker from the AIM-120C AMRAAM in place of the semi-active seeker of the previous design. This will improve the capability of the Standard missile against highly agile targets, and targets beyond the effective range of the launching vessels' target illumination radars. Initial operating capability is planned for 2013.

Description
The Standard ERAM is a two stage missile with a booster stage and a second stage. It is similar in appearance to the RIM-156A Standard missile. The radar seeker is an enlarged version adapted from the AIM-120C AMRAAM seeker (13.5 inches versus 7 inches).

The missile may be employed in a number of modes: inertial guided to target with terminal acquisition using active radar seeker, semi-active radar homing all the way, or an over the horizon shot with cooperative engagement capability. The missile is also capable of terminal ballistic missile defense as a supplement to the SM-3 missile.

Unlike other missiles of the Standard family, the ERAM can be periodically tested and certified without removal from the VLS cell.

History
Raytheon entered a contract in 2004 to develop this missile for the United States Navy, after the cancellation of the SM-2ER Block IVA (RIM-156B) missile. Development started in 2005, followed by testing in 2007. The missile was officially designated RIM-174A in February 2008. Initial low rate production was authorized in 2009.

Raytheon received a $93 million contract to begin production of the RIM-174A in September 2009. The first low-rate production missile was delivered in March 2011. SM-6 was approved for full-rate production in May 2013 and the first full-production missile will be delivered in April 2015.

the program is scheduled to build 1200 missiles at a total cost of $6,167.8m, at a flyaway cost of $4.3m.

On October 03, 2013 Raytheon was awarded a contract for "89 Standard Missile-6 Block I all up rounds, spares, containers and services" by the U.S. Navy.