An Overview of the SM‑2 and SM‑6 in U.S. Naval Air Defense and Upcoming Variants

March 31 2026

Standard Missile‑2 (SM‑2) live‑fire launch. Source: Raytheon

The U.S. Navy’s Standard Missile family are continuously evolving to meet changing operational demands. Among these systems, the Standard Missile 2 (SM‑2) and Standard Missile 6 (SM‑6) represent two different missile generations that are being upgraded along similar timelines rather than replacing one another. While newer SM-6 capabilities are discussed more frequently, the SM‑2 remains widely deployed and continues to...

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