An anti-ship missile (AShM [1] or ASM) [2] is a guided missile that is designed for use against ships and large boats. Most anti-ship missiles are of the sea-skimming variety, and many use a combination of inertial guidance and active radar homing. A large number of other anti-ship missiles use infrared homing to follow the heat that is emitted by a ship; it is also possible for anti-ship missiles to be guided by radio command all the way.
Many anti-ship missiles can be launched from a variety of weapons systems including surface warships (also referred to as ship-to-ship missiles), submarines, bombers, fighter planes, patrol planes, helicopters, shore batteries, land vehicles, and, conceivably, even infantrymen firing shoulder-launched missiles. The term surface-to-surface missile (SSM) is used when appropriate. The longer-range anti-ship missiles are often called anti-ship cruise missiles. Several countries are also developed Anti-ship ballistic missiles.
Both "AShM" [1] and “ASM” [2] are utilized interchangeably as an acronym for "anti-ship missile." "AShM" may be the preferred acronym when confusion with "air-to-surface missile" (commonly abbreviated as "ASM") may occur.
This section needs additional citations for verification .(February 2022) |
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union turned to a sea-denial strategy concentrating on submarines, naval mines and the AShM. One of the first products of the decision was the SS-N-2 Styx missile. Further products were to follow, and they were soon loaded onto the Soviet Air Force's Tu-95 Bear and Tu-22 Blinder bombers, in the case of the air-launched KS-1 Komet.
In 1967, the Israeli Navy's destroyer Eilat was the first ship to be sunk by a ship-launched missile—a number of Styx missiles launched by Egyptian Komar-class missile boats off the Sinai Peninsula.
In the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 the Indian Navy conducted two raids using Osa-class missile boats employing the Styx on the Pakistani naval base at Karachi. These raids resulted in the destruction or crippling of approximately two thirds of the Pakistani Navy. Major losses included two destroyers, a fleet oiler, an ammunition ship, approximately a dozen merchant ships, and numerous smaller craft. Major shore-based facilities, including fuel storage tanks and naval installations were also destroyed. The Osas returned to base without loss.
The Battle of Latakia in 1973 (during the Yom Kippur/Ramadan War) was the scene of the world's first combat between missile boats. In this battle, the Israeli Navy destroyed Syrian warships without suffering any damage, using electronic countermeasures and ruses for defense. After defeating the Syrian Navy the Israeli missile boats also sank a number of Egyptian warships, again without suffering any damage in return, thus achieving total naval supremacy for the rest of the war.
Anti-ship missiles were used in the 1982 Falklands War. The British warship HMS Sheffield, a Type 42 destroyer, was struck by a single air-launched Exocet and later sank as a result of the damage. The container ship Atlantic Conveyor was hit by two Exocets and burnt out and subsequently sank while under tow. HMS Glamorgan was damaged when she was struck by an MM38, a ship-launched version of the Exocet, fired from a launcher taken from the Argentine Navy destroyer ARA Comodoro Seguí and mounted on a trailer by Navy technicians, [4] but she had taken evasive action that limited the damage.
In 1987, a US Navy guided-missile frigate, USS Stark, was hit by an Exocet anti-ship missile fired by an Iraqi Mirage F-1 fighter plane. Stark was damaged, but she was able to steam to a friendly port for temporary repairs.
In October 1987, Sungari, an American-owned tanker steaming under the Liberian flag, and Sea Isle City, a Kuwaiti tanker steaming under the American flag, were hit by Iranian HY-2 missiles.
In 1988 AShMs were fired by both American and Iranian forces in Operation Praying Mantis in the Persian Gulf. During this naval battle, several Iranian warships were hit by American AShMs (and by the US Navy's Standard missiles—surface-to-air missiles which were doing double-duty in the anti-ship role). The US Navy hit the Iranian Navy frigate Sahand with three Harpoon missiles, four AGM-123 Skipper rocket-propelled bombs, a Walleye TV-guided bomb, and several 1,000 lb (454 kg) "iron bombs". Despite the large number of munitions and successful hits, Sahand did not sink until fire reached her ammunition magazine, causing it to detonate, sinking the vessel. [5] In the same engagement, American warships fired three Standard missiles at an Iranian Navy corvette. This corvette had such a low profile above the water that a Harpoon missile that arrived several minutes later could not lock onto it with its targeting radars.
In 2006, Lebanese Hezbollah fighters fired an AShM at the Israeli corvette INS Hanit, inflicting battle damage, but this warship managed to return to Israel in one piece and under its own power. A second missile in this same salvo struck and sank an Egyptian merchant ship.
On 13 April 2022, the Ukrainian government claimed to have hit the Russian cruiser Moskva with two R-360 Neptune missiles, resulting in its sinking. The Russian government did not confirm the attack, but admitted that the ship sank after a fire. [6] If Ukrainian claims are true, Moskva might be the largest warship ever disabled or destroyed by a missile, according to Carl Schuster, a retired US Navy captain and former director of operations at the US Pacific Command's Joint Intelligence Center. [7]
This section needs additional citations for verification .(February 2022) |
Anti-ship missiles are a significant threat to surface ships, which have large radar, radio, and thermal signatures that are difficult to suppress. Once acquired, a ship cannot outrun or out-turn a missile, the warhead of which can inflict significant damage. To counter the threat posed, the modern surface combatant has to either avoid being detected, destroy the missile launch platform before it fires its missiles, or decoy or destroy all of the incoming missiles.
Modern navies have spent much time and effort developing counters to the threat of anti-ship missiles since the Second World War. Anti-ship missiles have been the driving force behind many aspects of modern ship design, especially in navies that operate aircraft carriers.
The first layer of antimissile defense by a modern, fully equipped aircraft carrier task force is always the long-range missile-carrying fighter planes of the aircraft carrier itself. Several fighters are kept on combat air patrol (CAP) 24 hours a day, seven days a week when at sea, and many more are put aloft when the situation warrants, such as during wartime or when a threat to the task force is detected.
These fighters patrol up to hundreds of miles away from the task force and they are equipped with airborne radar systems. When spotting an approaching aircraft on a threatening flight profile, it is the responsibility of the CAP to intercept it before any missile is launched. If this cannot be achieved in time, the missiles themselves can be targeted by the fighters's own weapons systems, usually their air-to-air missiles, but in extremis, by their rapid-fire cannon.
However, some AShMs might "leak" past the task force's fighter defenses. In addition, many modern warships operate independently of carrier-based air protection and they must provide their own defenses against missiles and aircraft. Under these circumstances, the ships themselves must utilize multilayered defenses which have been built into them.
For example, some warships, such as the US Navy's Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruisers, the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, and the Royal Navy's Type 45 guided missile destroyer, use a combination of radar systems, integrated computer fire-control systems, and agile surface-to-air missiles (SAM) to simultaneously track, engage, and destroy several incoming anti-ship missiles or hostile warplanes at a time.
The primary American defensive system, called the Aegis Combat System, is also used by the navies of Japan, Spain, Norway, South Korea, and Australia. The Aegis system has been designed to defend against mass attacks by hostile anti-ship missiles or warplanes.
Any missiles that can elude the interception by medium-ranges SAM missiles can then be either deceived with electronic countermeasures or decoys; shot down by short-range missiles such as the Sea Sparrow or the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM); engaged by the warship's main gun armament (if present); or, as a last resort, destroyed by a close-in weapon system (CIWS), such as the American Phalanx CIWS, Russian Kashtan CIWS, or the Dutch Goalkeeper CIWS.
To counter these defense systems, countries such as Russia are developing or deploying missiles that slowly cruise at a very low level (about five meters above sea level) to within a short range of their target and then, at the point when radar detection becomes inevitable, initiate a supersonic, high-agility sprint (potentially with anti-aircraft missile detection and evasion) to close the terminal distance. Missiles, such as the SS-N-27 Sizzler, that incorporate this sort of threat modality are regarded by US Navy analysts as potentially being able to penetrate the US Navy's defensive systems. [8]
Recent years have seen a growing amount of attention being paid to the possibility of ballistic missiles being re-purposed or designed for an anti-ship role. Speculation has focused on the development of such missiles for use by China's People's Liberation Army Navy. Such an anti-ship ballistic missile would approach its target extremely rapidly, making it very difficult to intercept. [9] In response to China's development of anti-ship missiles and other anti-access/area denial capabilities, the United States has developed the AirSea Battle doctrine.
This section needs additional citations for verification .(February 2022) |
Countermeasures against anti-ship missiles include
Ships that employ some stealth technology can reduce the risk of detection and make themselves a harder target for the missile through the use of passive countermeasures including:
On February 25, 1991, during the first Gulf War, the Phalanx-equipped USS Jarrett was a few miles from USS Missouri and the destroyer HMS Gloucester. The ships were attacked by an Iraqi Silkworm missile (often referred to as the Seersucker), at which Missouri fired its SRBOC chaff. The Phalanx system on Jarrett, operating in the automatic target-acquisition mode, fixed upon Missouri's chaff, releasing a burst of rounds. From this burst, four rounds hit Missouri which was two to three miles (3.2 to 4.8 km) from Jarrett at the time. There were no injuries. [10] A Sea Dart missile was then launched from HMS Gloucester, which destroyed the Iraqi missile, achieving the first successful engagement of a missile by a missile during combat at sea.
On 9 October 2016, Mason, operating near the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, was targeted by two missiles fired from Houthi-controlled territory. Both missiles fell short and crashed into the water. [11] [12] The Houthi insurgency denied launching the attack on the warship. [13] The United States Naval Institute reported that Mason fired two SM-2 Standard missiles and one RIM-162 ESSM missile to intercept the two missiles, and deployed her Nulka missile decoy. One of two U.S. defense officials cited anonymously added that it was not clear whether the incoming missiles had been shot down or crashed into the water on their own. [14] This marked the first recorded instance of ship-based anti-air missiles being fired from vertical launching cells in combat in response to an actual inbound missile threat. [15]
On 12 October 2016 Mason was again targeted by missiles fired from Yemeni territory, while it was operating in the Bab el-Mandeb strait. [16] Mason was not hit by the two missiles, which were fired from near the southern Yemen city of Al Hudaydah. [16] While the Navy was not certain whether the first incoming missile was intercepted or instead just fell into the sea, officials said Mason successfully intercepted the second missile at a distance of about 8 miles (13 km), [17] marking the first time in history a warship destroyed an inbound anti-ship missile with a SAM in actual self-defense. On 13 October 2016, the U.S. attacked three radar sites in Houthi-held territory which had been involved in the earlier missile attacks, with cruise missiles launched from Nitze. [18] The Pentagon assessed that all three sites were destroyed. [19]
On 15 October 2016, Mason was targeted in a third attack by Houthi rebels based in Yemen, by five anti-ship cruise missiles while operating in the Red Sea north of the Bab el-Mandeb strait. Mason fired a radar decoy, an infrared decoy, and several SM-2 Standard missiles in response, either neutralizing or intercepting four of the five incoming missiles. The Navy reported the fifth incoming missile as neutralized by a radar decoy launched from Nitze, after Mason alerted her to the threat. [20]
On 26 December 2023, the USS Laboon shot down three ASBMs in the Red Sea fired by Houthi rebels with multiple SM-6s. This was its first intercept of a ballistic missile in combat. [21]
On 30 December 2023, Danish container ship Maersk Hangzhou issued a distress call after coming under fire from four small ships commanded by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels from Yemen. Attempts were also made to board Maersk Hangzhou by force, while a contracted security team defended the ship. Gravely and aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower responded to a distress call from the container ship. Verbal commands were radioed to the Houthi ships, while helicopters from Eisenhower were dispatched. After taking small arms fire, U.S. Navy helicopters returned fire, sinking three of the four Houthi ships. There was no damage to U.S. equipment or personnel. In the process of responding to the distress call, Gravely shot down two anti-ship ballistic missiles fired from Yemen. [22] [23]
On Jan. 9, at approximately 9:15 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthis launched a complex attack of Iranian designed one-way attack UAVs (OWA UAVs), anti-ship cruise missiles, and an anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into the Southern Red Sea, towards international shipping lanes where dozens of merchant vessels were transiting. Eighteen OWA UAVs, two anti-ship cruise missiles, and one anti-ship ballistic missile were shot down by a combined effort of F/A-18s from Dwight D. Eisenhower, Gravely, USS Laboon (DDG 58), USS Mason, and the United Kingdom’s HMS Diamond. This is the 26th Houthi attack on commercial shipping lanes in the Red Sea since Nov. 19. There were no injuries or damage reported. [24]
On 14 January 2024, an anti-ship missile was fired in the direction of Laboon from a Houthi-controlled portion of Yemen, according to CENTCOM. [25] Two weeks later, on 30 January 2024, the USS Carney shot down an ASBM in the Gulf of Aden fired by Houthi rebels with an SM-6. [26]
On 30 January 2024, USS Gravely used its Phalanx CIWS to shoot down an incoming anti-ship cruise missile fired by the Houthis. U.S. officials said that the missile came within a mile of the destroyer. [27] No damage or injuries were reported. [28]
On February 6, 2024 at 4:30 p.m., while patrolling in the Gulf of Aden, USS Laboon (DDG 58), operating near M/V Star Nasia, intercepted and shot down an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by the Iranian-backed Houthis. [29] Later in the month, on 20 February 2024 at 12:30 a.m., while operating in the Gulf of Aden, Laboon detected and shot down one anti-ship cruise missile fired by the Houthis. [30]
Name | Year | Weight | Warhead | Range | Speed | Propulsion | Launch platform | Guidance | Force | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Zircon [31] | Expected for (2018- [32] 2020) [33] | Size 4 pcs instead of 1 P-700 for 1 launcher | 300–400 kg (660–880 lb) conventional or nuclear | 400 km (220 nmi) (export) >1,000 km (540 nmi) (domestic) [34] | Minimum 4700 km/h (Mach 5 to 6) [33] potentially up to Mach 8 [35] | Liquid fuel scramjet | Surface, submarine | ? | Russia | |
3M-54E Klub (SS-N-27 "Sizzler") | 2006 | 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) | 200 kg (440 lb) | 220 km (120 nmi) | 0.8 M, 2.5/2.9M | Turbojet | Surface, sub, shipping container | Inertial, active radar | Russia | |
3M-54E1 Klub (SS-N-27 "Sizzler") | 2006 | 1,780 kg (3,920 lb) | 400 kg (880 lb) | 300 km (160 nmi) | 0.8 M, 2.5/2.9M | Turbojet | Surface, sub, shipping container | Inertial, active radar | Russia | |
3M-54 Kalibr (SS-N-27 "Sizzler") | 1993 | 1,300 kg (2,900 lb) | 200 kg (440 lb) | 660 km (360 nmi) | 0.8 M, 2.5/2.9M | Turbojet | Surface, sub, shipping container | Inertial, active radar | Russia | Used in combat |
P-1000 Vulkan | 1985 | 6,300 kg (13,900 lb) | 500 kg (1,100 lb) | 700 and 1000 (appx.) km (or 800 km [36] ) | 3,825 km/h (2,065 kn) | Solid-fuel ramjet | Surface | Inertial, active radar homing/anti radar, mid course correction | USSR/Russia | |
P-800 Oniks (SS-N-26) | 1983 | 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) | 250 kg (550 lb) | 800 km (430 nmi) (Oniks-M) 600 km (320 nmi) (Domestic version for Russia) | 3,600 km/h (1,900 kn) | Ramjet | Surface, air | Active-passive, radar | Russia | |
P-700 Granit | 1980 | 7,000 kg (15,000 lb) | 750 kg (1,650 lb) | 625 km (337 nmi) | 2,550 km/h (1,380 kn) | Solid-fuel ramjet | Surface | Inertial, active radar homing/anti radar, mid course correction | USSR/Russia | |
P-500 Bazalt (SS-N-12 SANDBOX) | 1975 | 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) | 1000 kg / 350 kt nuclear | 550 km (300 nmi) | 3,060 km/h (1,650 kn) | Liquid fuel rocket | Surface, submarine | Semi-active, terminal active radar | USSR | |
P-270 Moskit (SS-N-22 SUNBURN) | 1970 | 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) | 320 kg (710 lb) | 120 km (65 nmi) | 3,600 km/h (1,900 kn) | Ramjet | Surface, air | Active radar, infrarred | USSR | |
P-120 Malakhit (SS-N-9 SIREN) | 1972 | 2,953 kg (6,510 lb) | 500 kg (1,100 lb) | 110 km (59 nmi) | Mach 0.9 | Turbojet, solid fuel | Surface | Inertial, mid course correction, active radar | USSR | Used in combat |
P-70 Ametist (SS-N-7 STARBRIGHT) | 1968 | 3,500 kg (7,700 lb) | 500 kg (1,100 lb) | 65 km (35 nmi) | 1,050 km/h (570 kn) | Solid rocket | Sub | Inertial, terminal homing | USSR | |
P-15 Termit (SS-N-2 STYX) | 1958 | 3,100 kg (6,800 lb) | 454 kg (1,001 lb) | 80 km (43 nmi) | 1,100 km/h (590 kn) | Liquid fuel rocket | Surface | Active radar, infrarred | USSR | Used in combat |
P-5 Pyatyorka (SS-N-3 "Shaddock") | 1959 | 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) | 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) | 750 km (400 nmi) | 1,000 km/h (540 kn) | Turbojet | Surface | Inertial, mid course correction, active radar | USSR | |
Kh-15 (AS-16 Kickback) | 1988 | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) | 150 kg conventional/nuclear | 300 km (160 nmi) | 6,125 km/h (3,307 kn) | Solid-fuel rocket | Air | Inertial/Active radar | USSR/Russia | |
Kh-55 | 1984 | 1,700 kg (3,700 lb) | 410 kg (900 lb) conventional/200 kt nuclear | 300 km (160 nmi) | 828 km/h (447 kn) | Turbofan | Air | Radar inertial, TERCOM, infrared | USSR/Russia | |
Kh-35 (AS-20 KAYAK) | 1983 | 520 kg (1,150 lb) | 145 kg (320 lb) | 130 km (70 nmi) | 970 km/h (520 kn) | Turbofan | Surface, air | Inertial, active radar | USSR/Russia/North Korea | |
Kh-22 (AS-4 Kitchen) | 1962 | 5,820 kg (12,830 lb) | 1000 kg conventional/nuclear | 400 km (220 nmi) | 4,000 km/h (2,200 kn) | Liquid-fuel rocket | Air | Inertial | USSR/Russia | |
KSShch (SS-N-1 "Scrubber") | 1958 | 2,300 kg (5,100 lb) | Nuclear | 40 km (22 nmi) | 1,150 km/h (620 kn) | Liquid-fuel rocket | Surface | Inertial | USSR | |
SM-6 | 2013 | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) | 64 kg (141 lb) | 370 km (200 nmi) | 4,287.7 km/h (2,315.2 kn) | two stage/solid rocket booster | surface ships, transporter erector launcher | Inertial guidance, active radar homing, semi active radar homing | United States | (The anti-ship version will enter service in 2023.) |
AGM-158C LRASM | 2013 [37] / 2018 [38] | ~900 kg | 450 kg | 370–560 km (200–300 nmi) [39] [40] [41] | High subsonic | Turbojet | Air, ship | Passive radar and infrared homing | United States | |
AGM-123 Skipper II | 1985 | 582 kg (1,283 lb) | 450 kg (990 lb) | 25 km (13 nmi) | 1,100 km/h (590 kn) | Solid-fueled | Air | Laser-guided | United States | Used in combat |
BGM-109 Tomahawk | 1983 | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) | 450 kg (990 lb) | 1,666 km (900 nmi) (Block V) [42] | 880 km/h (480 kn) | Turbofan | Air, surface, submarine | GPS, TERCOM, DSMAC | United States | (Previous anti-ship version withdrawn from service in 1994, new anti-ship version will enter service in 2023.) |
Harpoon | 1977 | 691 kg (1,523 lb) | 221 kg (487 lb) | 280 km (150 nmi) | 864 km/h (467 kn) | Turbojet engine | Air, surface, submarine | Radar (B3: midcourse update) | United States | Used in combat |
AGM-65F Maverick | 1972 | 300 kg (660 lb) | 140 kg (310 lb) | 30 km (16 nmi) | 1,150 km/h (620 kn) | Solid propellant | Air | Laser, infrarred | United States | Used in combat |
Bat | 1944 | 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) | 727 kg (1,603 lb) | 37 km (20 nmi) | 260–390 km/h (140–210 kn) | None | Air | Active radar | United States | Used in combat |
MMP | 2017 | 15 kg (33 lb) | ? | 5 km (2.7 nmi) | ? | Solid propellant | Surface | Infrared | France | |
ANL/Sea Venom | 2017 | 120 kg (260 lb) | 30 kg (66 lb) | 20 km (11 nmi) | 1,040.4 km/h (561.8 kn)) | Two-stage solid-propellant rocket motor | Air (helicopter), Surface | Infrared | France/United Kingdom | |
AS.34 Kormoran | 1991 | 630 kg (1,390 lb) | 220 kg (490 lb) | 35 km (19 nmi) | 1,101 km/h (594 kn) | Rocket | Air | Inertial, active radar | France/Germany | |
AS.15TT/MM.15 | 1985 | 96 kg (212 lb) | 30 kg (66 lb) | 15 km (8.1 nmi) | 1,008 km/h (544 kn) | Solid propellant | Air | Inertial | France | |
ARMAT | 1984 | 550 kg (1,210 lb) | 160 kg (350 lb) | 120 km (65 nmi) | 1,100 km/h (590 kn) | Solid propellant | Air | Passive radar | France | |
Otomat/Milas | 1977 | 770 kg (1,700 lb) | 210 kg (460 lb) | 360 km (190 nmi) (min.) | 1,116 km/h (603 kn) | Turbojet | Surface, air | Inertial, GPS, active radar | France/Italy | |
Exocet | 1975 | 670 kg (1,480 lb) | 165 kg (364 lb) | 180 km (97 nmi) | 1,134 km/h (612 kn) | Solid propellant (Block 1, block 2), turbojet (Block 3) | Air, surface, submarine | Inertial, active radar | France | Used in combat |
AS.37/AJ.168 Martel | 1970 | 550 kg (1,210 lb) | 150 kg (330 lb) | 60 km (32 nmi) | 1,070 km/h (580 kn) | Solid propellant | Air | Passive radar, TV | France/United Kingdom | Used in combat |
Malafon | 1966 | 1,330 kg (2,930 lb) | ? | 13 km (7.0 nmi) | 808 km/h (436 kn) | Solid propellant | Ship, surface | MCLOS (radio link) | France | |
SS.12/AS.12 | 1960 | 76 kg (168 lb) | 28 kg (62 lb) | 7 km (3.8 nmi) | 370 km/h (200 kn) | Solid-fueled | Air, surface | Wire-guided MCLOS | France | Used in combat |
Malaface | 1954 | 1,430 kg (3,150 lb) | 700 kg (1,500 lb) | 40 km (22 nmi) | 808 km/h (436 kn) | Solid propellant | Surface | MCLOS (radio link) | France | |
BHT-38 | 1940 | 160 kg (350 lb) | ? | ? | ? | None (glide bomb) | Air | MCLOS (radio link) | France | |
Sea Eagle | 1985 | 580 kg (1,280 lb) | 230 kg (510 lb) | 110 km (59 nmi) (min.) | 1,000 km/h (540 kn) | Turbojet | Air | Inertial, active radar | United Kingdom | |
Sea Skua | 1983 | 145 kg (320 lb) | 28 kg (62 lb) | 25 km (13 nmi) | 950 km/h (510 kn) | Solid fuel | Air | Semi-active radar | United Kingdom | Used in combat |
RBS-15 | 1985 | 800 kg (1,800 lb) | 200 kg (440 lb) | 200 km (110 nmi) | 1,101 km/h (594 kn) | Turbojet | Air, surface | Inertial, GPS, radar | Sweden | |
RB 08 | 1966 | ? | ? | 70 km (38 nmi) | Subsonic | Turbojet | Surface | Radio link active radar | Sweden/France | |
RB 04 | 1962 | 600 kg (1,300 lb) | 300 kg (660 lb) | 32 km (17 nmi) | Subsonic | Solid propellant | Air | Active radar | Sweden | |
Naval Strike Missile | 2009 | 410 kg (900 lb) | 125 kg (276 lb) | 250 km (130 nmi) | High subsonic | Turbojet and solid fuel booster | Air, surface | Inertial, GPS, terrain-reference, imaging IR, target database | Norway | |
Penguin | 1972 | 385 kg (849 lb) | 130 kg (290 lb) | 55 km (30 nmi) (min.) | 1,468 km/h (793 kn) | Solid propellant | Air, surface, submarine | Inertial, laser, infrarred | Norway | |
Fritz X | 1943 | 1,362 kg (3,003 lb) | 320 kg (710 lb) | 5 km (2.7 nmi) | 1,235 km/h (667 kn) | None (glide bomb) | Air | Manual (radio link) | Germany | Used in combat |
Henschel Hs 293 | 1943 | 1,045 kg (2,304 lb) | 295 kg (650 lb) | 5 km (2.7 nmi) | 828 km/h (447 kn) | Liquid-propellant, then gliding | Air | MCLOS (radio link) | Germany | Used in combat |
Blohm & Voss BV 246 | 1943 | 730 kg (1,610 lb) | 435 kg (959 lb) | 210 km (110 nmi) | 450 km/h (240 kn) | None (glide bomb) | Air | Manual (radio link) | Germany | |
RK-360MC Neptune | 2021 | 870 kg (1,920 lb) | 150 kg (330 lb) | 300 km (160 nmi) | Subsonic | Turbofan | Ground based TEL | ? | Ukraine | Used in combat [43] |
BrahMos-II | 2030s | ? | ? | 1,000 km (540 nmi) 400 km (220 nmi)(export version) | 6,125–8,575 km/h (3,307–4,630 kn) | Scramjet | Ship, surface, air, submarine | ? | India/Russia | |
BrahMos | 2006 | 2,500 kg (5,500 lb) (air), 3,000 kg (6,600 lb) (ground) | 300 kg (660 lb) | 800 km (430 nmi) or 290 km (160 nmi)(Export version) | 3,675 km/h (1,984 kn) | Ramjet | Ship, surface, air, submarine | INS, SatNav, ARH | India/Russia | |
Çakır (missile) | 2023 | 275–330 kg (606–728 lb) | 70 kg (150 lb) | 150–200 km (81–108 nmi) | 919–1,040 km/h (496–562 kn) | Turbojet | Ship, surface, air | Inertial, IIR, RF, Hybrid (IIR+RF) | Turkey | |
Atmaca | 2017 | 750 kg (1,650 lb) | 220 kg (490 lb) | 250 km (130 nmi) +280 km (150 nmi) (KARA Atmaca) [44] [45] | 1,042 km/h (563 kn) | Turbojet | Ship, surface, air | Inertial/GPS+RA+DL+IIR | Turkey | |
SOM (missile) | 2006 | 600 kg (1,300 lb) | 230 kg (510 lb) | SOM-A:250 km (160 mi) SOM-J:185 km (115 mi) | 1,153 km/h (623 kn) | Turbojet | Air | Inertial / GPS, terrain referenced navigation, automatic target recognition, imaging infrared | Turkey | |
XASM-3 | 2016 | 940 kg (2,070 lb) | ? | 150 km (81 nmi)(original version) 400 km (220 nmi)(extended range) | 3,707 km/h (2,002 kn) | Ramjet | Air | Inertial / GPS, mid-course correction, active/passive radar | Japan | |
Type 12 | 2015 | 700 kg (1,500 lb) | ? | 200 km (110 nmi)(original version) 400 km (220 nmi)(ship/air-launched and improved version) 900 km (490 nmi)(upgrade in development) 1,500 km (810 nmi)(future version) | ? | Turbojet | Ship, TEL, Air | Inertial, GPS, AESA | Japan | |
Type 93 | 1993 | 530 kg (1,170 lb) | ? | 170 km (92 nmi) | ? | Turbojet | Air | Inertial and IR Image | Japan | |
Type 91 | 1991 | 510 kg (1,120 lb) | 260 kg (570 lb) | 150 km (81 nmi) | ? | Turbojet | Air | Inertial, mid course correction, active radar | Japan | |
Type 80 | 1982 | 600 kg (1,300 lb) | 150 kg (330 lb) | 50 km (27 nmi) | ? | Turbojet | Air | Infarred | Japan | |
Ohka | 1943 | 2,140 kg (4,720 lb) | 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) | 36 km (19 nmi) | 630 km/h (340 kn) | Solid-propellant | Air | Manned (suicide attack) | Japan | Used in combat |
Hsiung Feng III | 2007 | 1,470 kg (3,240 lb) | ? | 400 km (220 nmi) | 3,062 km (1,653 nmi) | Ramjet | Ship, surface, air | Inertial / Active radar | Taiwan | |
Hsiung Feng IIE | 2011 | 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) | ? | 600–2,000 km (320–1,080 nmi) | 1,041 km (562 nmi) | Solid-fuel rocket | Ship, surface, air | Inertial/GPS/TERCOM | Taiwan | |
Hsiung Feng II | 1990 | 685 kg (1,510 lb) | 180 kg (400 lb) | 20–250 km (11–135 nmi) | 1,041 km (562 nmi) | Solid-fuel rocket | Ship, surface, air | Inertial midflight / Dual active radar plus infrared homing | Taiwan | |
Hsiung Feng I | 1978-2012 | 537.5 kg (1,185 lb) | 150 kg (330 lb) | 40 km (22 nmi) | 833 km (450 nmi) | Solid-fuel rocket | Ship, surface, air | Inertial / Radar beam riding plus terminal semi-active homing | Taiwan | |
Gabriel | 1962 | 522 kg (1,151 lb) | 150 kg (330 lb) | 60 km (32 nmi) | 840 km/h (450 kn) | Solid-fuel rocket | Air, surface | Active radar | Israel | Used in combat |
Hae Sung-I (SSM-700K) | 2005 | 718 kg (1,583 lb) | 300 kg (660 lb) | 150 km (81 nmi) | 1,013 km/h (547 kn) | Turbojet | Ship, surface | Inertial, active radar | South Korea | |
Noor | 2005 | 750 kg (1,650 lb) | 165 kg (364 lb) | 30–220 km (16–119 nmi) | 1,110–1,728 km/h (599–933 kn) | Turbojet engine | Air, Surface, Ship | Inertial, Active radar homing | Iran | Used in combat |
Zafar | 2012 | 120 kg (260 lb) | 30 kg (66 lb) | 25 km (13 nmi) | 0.8 M | Turbojet | Surface, Ship | Active radar | Iran | |
P15 & Silkworm KN1 | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Turbofan | Surface, coastal | Inertial, active radar | North Korea/USSR/Russia | |
MANSUP | 2009 | 380 kg (840 lb) | 150 kg (330 lb) | 74–100 km (40–54 nmi) | 870 km/h (470 kn) | Solid-fuel rocket | Ship, surface | Inertial, active radar | Brazil | |
MANSUP-ER [46] | 2023 | 380 kg (840 lb) | 150 kg (330 lb) | 200 km (110 nmi) | 950 km/h (510 kn) | Turbofan | Ship, surface | Inertial, active radar | Brazil | |
NASM-SR [47] | Expected for 2024 | 375 kg (827 lb) | 100 kg (220 lb) | 55 km (30 nmi) | 980 km/h (530 kn) | Solid-fuel rocket | Air | INS, SatNav, IIR | India | |
NASM-MR [47] | Expected for 2025 | 750 kg (1,650 lb) | 150 kg (330 lb) | 150–250 km (81–135 nmi) | 980 km/h (530 kn) | Solid-fuel rocket | Air | INS, SatNav, IIR | India | |
LR-AShCM | 2023 | 1,450 kg (3,200 lb) | 200–300 kg (440–660 lb) | 1,000 km (540 nmi) | 1,110 km/h (600 kn) | Turbofan | Ship, Surface, Air, Submarine | INS, SatNav, Hybrid (ARH, EO + IIR) | India | |
LRAShM | ? | ? | ? | >1,500 km (810 nmi) | >Mach 8 (5,300 kn) | Solid-fuel rocket | Ship, Surface | ? | India |
The Phalanx CIWS is an automated gun-based close-in weapon system to defend military watercraft automatically against incoming threats such as aircraft, missiles, and small boats. It was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division, later a part of Raytheon. Consisting of a radar-guided 20 mm (0.8 in) Vulcan cannon mounted on a swiveling base, the Phalanx has been used by the United States Navy and the naval forces of 15 other countries. The U.S. Navy deploys it on every class of surface combat ship, except the Zumwalt-class destroyer and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock. Other users include the British Royal Navy, the Royal Australian Navy, the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier currently in service with the United States Navy. Commissioned in 1977, the ship is the second of ten Nimitz-class aircraft carriers currently in service, and is the first ship named after the 34th President of the United States and General of the Army, Dwight D. Eisenhower. The vessel was initially named simply as USS Eisenhower, much like the lead ship of the class, Nimitz, but the name was changed to its present form on 25 May 1970. The carrier, like all others of her class, was constructed at Newport News Shipbuilding Company in Virginia, with the same design as the lead ship, although the ship has been overhauled twice to bring her up to the standards of those constructed more recently.
USS Cole (DDG-67) is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis-equipped guided missile destroyer home-ported in Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. Cole is named in honor of Marine Sergeant Darrell S. Cole, a machine-gunner killed in action on Iwo Jima on 19 February 1945, during World War II. Cole is one of 62 authorized Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, and one of 21 members of the Flight I-class that used the 5 in(127 mm)/54 caliber gun mounts found on the earliest of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The ship was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding and was delivered to the Navy on 11 March 1996.
The Arleigh Burke class of guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) is a United States Navy class of destroyer centered around the Aegis Combat System and the SPY-1D multi-function passive electronically scanned array radar. The class is named after Admiral Arleigh Burke, an American destroyer officer in World War II and later Chief of Naval Operations. With an overall length of 505 to 509.5 feet, displacement ranging from 8,300 to 9,700 tons, and weaponry including over 90 missiles, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are larger and more heavily armed than many previous classes of guided-missile cruisers.
The Aegis Combat System is an American integrated naval weapons system, which uses computers and radars to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets. It was developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and it is now produced by Lockheed Martin.
The Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) is a joint programme developed by France, Italy, and the United Kingdom for an integrated anti-aircraft warfare system. The prime contractor is EUROPAAMS, a joint venture between Eurosam (66%) and UKAMS (33%). In the United Kingdom, PAAMS has been given the designation Sea Viper.
USS Laboon (DDG-58) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named for Father John Francis Laboon (1921–1988), a captain in the Chaplain Corps of the United States Navy, who was awarded the Silver Star during World War II while serving on the submarine USS Peto.
USS Carney (DDG-64) is the 14th Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The guided-missile destroyer is the first to be named after Admiral Robert Carney, who served as Chief of Naval Operations during the Eisenhower administration.
USS Benfold (DDG-65) is a Flight I Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is a multi-mission platform capable of anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) with the powerful Aegis Combat System suite and anti-aircraft missiles, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), with towed sonar array, anti-submarine rockets, anti-surface warfare (ASUW) with Harpoon missiles, and strategic land strike using Tomahawk missiles. Benfold was one of the first ships fitted with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System and during the 2010 Stellar Daggers exercise was the first ship to simultaneously engage a ballistic missile and a cruise missile.
USS Mason (DDG-87) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named in honor of the Black crewmembers who served on board USS Mason (DE-529) during the period of racial segregation in the United States Armed Forces.
USS Nitze (DDG-94) is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer. She is named for Paul Nitze, who served as Secretary of the Navy under president Lyndon B. Johnson and as chief arms control adviser in the administration of president Ronald Reagan.
Nulka is an Australian-designed and -developed active missile decoy built by an American/Australian collaboration. Used aboard warships of the United States Navy, Royal Australian Navy, United States Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy, Nulka is a rocket-propelled, disposable, offboard, active decoy designed to lure anti-ship missiles away from their targets. It has a unique design in that it hovers in mid-air while drawing the incoming anti-ship missile. The hovering rocket concept was initiated in Australia by the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), and the system was designed, developed and then manufactured by AWA Defence Industries). BAE refers to Nulka as a "soft-kill defence system". The word "Nulka" is of Australian Aboriginal origin and means "be quick".
USS Stockdale (DDG-106) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. The third U.S. Navy ship of that name, Stockdale is named after Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale (1923–2005) and is the 56th destroyer in her class. She was authorized on 13 September 2002 and was built by Bath Iron Works. Stockdale was christened 10 May 2008 by Admiral Stockdale's widow, Sybil, and delivered to the Navy on 30 September 2008. She transited the Panama Canal in March 2009; Admiral Stockdale's youngest son and grandchildren joined the ship for the trip. USS Stockdale was commissioned on 18 April 2009 at Port Hueneme.
HMS Diamond is the third ship of the Type 45 or Daring-class air-defence guided missile destroyers built for the Royal Navy. She was launched in 2007, and completed her contractor's sea trials and arrived at her base port in 2010. Diamond formally entered service in 2011.
USS Gravely (DDG-107) is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. She is named after Vice Admiral Samuel L. Gravely Jr. Commissioned in 2010, she has been on several overseas deployments.
The RIM-66 Standard MR (SM-1MR/SM-2MR) is a medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM), with a secondary role as an anti-ship missile, developed for the United States Navy (USN). A member of the Standard Missile family of weapons, the SM-1 was developed as a replacement for the RIM-2 Terrier and RIM-24 Tartar that were deployed in the 1950s on a variety of USN ships. The RIM-67 Standard (SM-1ER/SM-2ER) is an extended range version of this missile with a solid rocket booster stage.
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 (USN). It was designed for extended-range anti-air warfare (ER-AAW) purposes, providing capability against fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-ship cruise missiles in flight, both over sea and land, and terminal ballistic missile defense. It can also be used as a high-speed anti-ship missile. 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 was planned for 2013 and was achieved on 27 November 2013. The SM-6 is not meant to replace the SM-2 series of missiles but will serve alongside and provide extended range and increased firepower. It was approved for export in January 2017. An air-to-air variant of the SM-6, known as the AIM-174, is the first dedicated long-range air-to-air missile employed by the USN since the 2004 retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix. SM-6 can also be fired from the U.S. Army's Typhon missile launcher as part of the Strategic Mid-range Fires System (SMRF).
An anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) is a military ballistic missile system designed to hit a warship at sea.
The Yemeni Navy and Coastal Defence Forces is the maritime component of the Yemeni Armed Forces. Yemen's navy was created in 1990 when North and South Yemen united.
The Red Sea crisis began on 19 October 2023, when the Iran-backed Houthi movement in Yemen launched missiles and armed drones at Israel, demanding an end to the invasion of the Gaza Strip. The Houthis have since seized and launched aerial attacks against dozens of merchant and naval vessels in the Red Sea, drawing hundreds of air strikes on missile sites and other targets by US and allied forces. The crisis is linked to the Israel–Hamas war, the Iran–Israel proxy conflict, the Iran–United States proxy conflict, and the Yemeni crisis.
...a supersonic Anti-Ship Missile (AShM)
...the aging Harpoon Anti-Ship missiles (ASM)