Documents
United States Raytheon (RTX)
SM-3 Block IIA
Exo-atmospheric hit-to-kill interceptor developed jointly with Japan for Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, designed to destroy medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles in space using kinetic warhead impact.
In service since 2018 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
2,500
km range
13.5
Mach
💲 ≈ $28,000,000 — 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
Limited · 2 operators
In service since 2018. Status: active · ~250 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.
- 13.5 Mach Top 3% of missiles
- Range
Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.
- 2,500 km Top 4% of missiles
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
- Warhead type
Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable.
- Kinetic warhead (hit-to-kill)
- Guidance
How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire.
- Infrared homing seeker
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
- Length
Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.
- 6.55 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…
- Three-stage 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.
- $28,000,000 Bottom 2% of missiles
- Units built
Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.
- 250 Stronger than 37% of missiles
- Operator countries
Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.
- 2 Stronger than 29% 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) SM-3 Block IIA? +
The Raytheon (RTX) SM-3 Block IIA has a maximum range of 2,500 km.
How much does the Raytheon (RTX) SM-3 Block IIA weigh? +
The Raytheon (RTX) SM-3 Block IIA has a combat weight of 1,500 kg.
What is the Raytheon (RTX) SM-3 Block IIA used for? +
The Raytheon (RTX) SM-3 Block IIA is a missile typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Raytheon (RTX) SM-3 Block IIA? +
The Raytheon (RTX) SM-3 Block IIA is operated by 2 countries.
How much does the Raytheon (RTX) SM-3 Block IIA cost? +
The Raytheon (RTX) SM-3 Block IIA has an approximate unit cost of 28,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.
