RIM-162 ESSM

RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM)
TypeMedium-range surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-surface missile[1]
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service2004[1]
Used byAustralia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, and the US[2]
Production history
ManufacturerRaytheon
Unit cost
  • US$956,000 (FY2016)[3]
  • US$1,795,000 (FY2021) (average)
ProducedSeptember 1998
No. built2000th missile delivered 2 August 2012[4]
Specifications
Mass620 lb (280 kg)
Length12 ft (3.66 m)
Diameter10 in (254 mm)
Warhead86 lb (39 kg) blast-fragmentation
Detonation
mechanism
Proximity fuze
EngineMk 134 Mod 0 solid fuel rocket
Operational
range
27 nmi+ (50 km+)[5]
Maximum speed Mach 4+[5]
Guidance
system
Launch
platform
  • Mk 41 VLS (RIM-162A/B)
  • Mk 48 VLS (RIM-162C)
  • Mk 56 VLS
  • Mk 57 VLS (RIM-162F)
  • Mk 29 box launcher (RIM-162D/G)[7]

The RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) is a development of the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft.[8] ESSM is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. ESSM also has the ability to be "quad-packed" in the Mark 41 Vertical Launch System, allowing up to four ESSMs to be carried in a single cell.

  1. ^ a b Evolved Seasparrow Missile Block 1 (ESSM) (RIM 162D)
  2. ^ "Bird in the hand: NATO gives fresh momentum to ESSM". Archived from the original on 30 March 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Raytheon wins $177.9 million Navy order for 186 RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow shipboard missiles". 7 November 2016. Archived from the original on 14 October 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2017.
  4. ^ "Raytheon Evolved SeaSparrow program delivers 2,000th missile". Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.
  5. ^ a b Raytheon RIM-162 ESSM Archived 3 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine Designation-Systems.net
  6. ^ "IDE wins ESSM Block 2 electronics contract | Jane's 360". Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  7. ^ Raytheon. ESSM Mk-29 upgrade fact sheet Archived 27 February 2009 at the Wayback Machine. (PDF)
  8. ^ Raytheon Corporate Communications. "Raytheon ESSM product data sheet". Archived from the original on 26 October 2014. Retrieved 26 October 2014.