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United States Raytheon (RTX)
RIM-116 RAM
Compact, lightweight ship self-defense missile developed jointly with Germany to counter anti-ship cruise missiles and small boats at short range, fired from a rapid-fire 21-round launcher on U.S. Navy surface ships.
In service since 1993 · 10 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
9
km range
2
Mach
11
kg warhead
💲 ≈ $900,000 — 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 · 10 operators
In service since 1993. Status: active · ~3,000 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.
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.
- 2 Mach Stronger than 45% of missiles
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 9 km Stronger than 17% of missiles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead
Warhead mass. Heavier generally means larger effect radius, at the cost of range.
- 11 kg Stronger than 24% of missiles
- 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.
- Passive radio-frequency/infrared dual-mode homing
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 2.79 m
- Combat weight
Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.
- 74 kg
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
- Propulsion type
Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…
- Solid-fuel rocket
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.
- $900,000 Stronger than 60% of missiles
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 3,000 Stronger than 52% of missiles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 10 Stronger than 73% of missiles
Specifications compiled from public Raytheon (RTX) and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the range of the Raytheon (RTX) RIM-116 RAM? +
The Raytheon (RTX) RIM-116 RAM has a maximum range of 9 km.
How much does the Raytheon (RTX) RIM-116 RAM weigh? +
The Raytheon (RTX) RIM-116 RAM has a combat weight of 74 kg.
What is the Raytheon (RTX) RIM-116 RAM used for? +
The Raytheon (RTX) RIM-116 RAM is a missile typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Raytheon (RTX) RIM-116 RAM? +
The Raytheon (RTX) RIM-116 RAM is operated by 10 countries.
How much does the Raytheon (RTX) RIM-116 RAM cost? +
The Raytheon (RTX) RIM-116 RAM has an approximate unit cost of 900,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
