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US Navy Successfully Tests RIM-116 Block 2 Rolling Airframe Missile

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Naval Forces News - USA
 
 
 
US Navy Successfully Tests RIM-116 Block 2 Rolling Airframe Missile
 
The US Navy successfully completed tests of the Rolling Airframe Block 2 missile at the Navy's Pacific Missile Test Range, May 10. The missiles were launched from a Self Defense Test Ship operated by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme and intercepted turbojet-powered targets emulating enemy anti-ship cruise missiles.
     
The US Navy successfully completed tests of the Rolling Airframe Block 2 missile at the Navy's Pacific Missile Test Range, May 10. The missiles were launched from a Self Defense Test Ship operated by the Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme and intercepted turbojet-powered targets emulating enemy anti-ship cruise missiles.
RAM Block 2
(Picture: Raytheon)
     
Testing continued with another successful firing, using two RAM Block 2 missiles, meeting all test objectives May 12. Scheduled over the next several months, these were the first of a series of planned tests to demonstrate RAM Block 2 performance against anti-ship cruise missile threats at sea. The Block 2 missile will now have flight tests from an operational ship.

"With an Evolved Radio Frequency receiver and improved kinematics, RAM Block 2 was designed to engage these types of LPI [Low-Probability Intercept] and maneuvering threats." said Capt. John Keegan, RAM major program manager. "Our success over the last several days is the first step in proving Block 2's operational effectiveness and suitability for fleet use."

The Block 2 missile is the latest RAM configuration. The missile provides improvements in sensitivity, maneuverability, and range over the existing Block 0 and Block 1A variants currently deployed.

RAM Block 2 missile is in Low Rate Initial Production with an approved U.S. inventory objective of 2,093 missiles.

RAM is a cooperative development, production and in-service program between the United States and Federal Republic of Germany in the Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems' (PEO IWS) portfolio. The RAM missile is a supersonic, lightweight, quick reaction, fire-and-forget missile that defends against anti-ship cruise missiles.

It is jointly developed and produced by Raytheon Missile Systems and RAMSYS GmbH. In addition to being deployed in the U.S. and German fleets, the RAM system is also in-service or planned for in-service in the navies of Egypt, Greece, Japan, Republic of Korea, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

PEO IWS, an affiliated program executive office of the Naval Sea Systems Command, manages surface ship and submarine combat technologies and systems, and coordinates Navy Enterprise solutions across ship platforms.

Source: US Naval Sea Systems Command