Documents
United States Raytheon (RTX)
SM-6
Multi-mission naval missile fired from Aegis-equipped ships that can engage aircraft, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles in their terminal phase, and surface ships, giving the U.S. Navy an extended-range fleet air-defense weapon.
In service since 2013 · 5 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗
240
km range
3.5
Mach
💲 ≈ $4,300,000, Approximate unit cost
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Established · 5 operators
In service since 2013. Status: active · ~500 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
Unit cost known; one-shot / small-arms class has no meaningful O&S tail to model.
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Competitive field
11 comparable systems from 7 other manufacturers
Counted in the WeaponSpecs database: missiles built by another manufacturer that share at least one published role with this system. A count of what this catalog holds, not a survey of the whole market. See the alternatives →
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 3.5 Mach |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 240 km |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | Blast fragmentation |
|---|---|
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | Active radar homing, Semi-active radar homing |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 6.6 m |
|---|---|
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 1,500 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Dual-thrust solid-fuel rocket booster |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $4,300,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 500 |
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 5 |
Specifications compiled from public Raytheon (RTX) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
Head-to-head comparisons
SM-6 vs
Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Raytheon (RTX) SM-6? +
The Raytheon (RTX) SM-6 has a maximum range of 240 km.
How much does the Raytheon (RTX) SM-6 weigh? +
The Raytheon (RTX) SM-6 has a combat weight of 1,500 kg.
What is the Raytheon (RTX) SM-6 used for? +
The Raytheon (RTX) SM-6 is a missile typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Raytheon (RTX) SM-6? +
The Raytheon (RTX) SM-6 is operated by 5 countries.
How much does the Raytheon (RTX) SM-6 cost? +
The Raytheon (RTX) SM-6 has an approximate unit cost of 4,300,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
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Related coverage
SM-6 in the news
Article news · Aug 23, 2026
The Air Force Wants a $500K Missile. None Exist Yet.
The Air Force wants 3,500 supersonic counter-air interceptors at $500K each. WeaponSpecs' own database shows no fielded system occupies that price and capability tier.
Article industry · Aug 22, 2026
Golden Dome Needs 7,800 Satellites to Stop 10 Missiles
The Pentagon calls Golden Dome's latest test a success. The CBO's own math says its space layer needs 7,800 satellites to stop just 10 missiles.
News technology · Aug 22, 2026
Navy Reveals Modular Missile Family for Ships, Subs
A single 10-inch interceptor stack, sized four ways, would let Aegis destroyers and Virginia-class submarines share one air-defense missile line.
News digest · Aug 22, 2026
This Week: Rearming Fast, Striking Deep, Buying Foreign
Ukraine and Russia bombed each other's fuel and rocket plants, the Pentagon raced to scale missile output, and allies bought around US-built systems.
Article industry · Aug 20, 2026
Navy's Hypersonic Missiles Span $300K to $67 Million
Navy hypersonic missiles range from a $300K target price to $67M a round. The 150x gap reflects two competing theories of hypersonic warfare.
Article industry · Aug 7, 2026
Navy Modular Missile: One Interceptor Body, Four Roles
NMM aims to replace SM-2, SM-6, and SM-3 Block IIA, whose ranges span 170-2,500 km, with one common 10-inch interceptor body and four swappable boosters.
News technology · Jul 12, 2026
Australia validates ground-launched SM-2 in Woomera live-fire
Australia disclosed a June live-fire trial pairing a homegrown CEA radar with a virtualised Aegis system and an SM-2 missile to kill a cruise-missile target from a trailer launcher.