Raytheon announced A Standard Missile-6 (SM-6) built by the company intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile target at sea in its final seconds of flight, after being fired from the USS Preble (DDG 88). This test verified some of the missile's enhanced capabilities when launched from a Baseline 9.C2 variant of the Aegis Combat System. The SM-6 missile can perform anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare and advanced ballistic missile defense at sea.

This latest flight test, designated as Flight Test Aegis Weapon System (FTM)-32, involved the SM-6 Dual II (Block IA) configuration with newly qualified software that significantly enhances the missile's capabilities for the U.S. Navy fleet. Deployed on U.S. Navy ships, SM-6 delivers a proven over-the-horizon offensive and defensive capability by leveraging the time-tested Standard Missile airframe and propulsion system. It's the only missile that supports anti-air Warfare, anti-surface warfare and sea-based terminal ballistic missile defense in one solution, and it's enabling the U.S. and its allies to cost-effectively increase the offensive might of surface forces.

The U.S. Department of Defense has approved the sale of SM-6 to several allied nations.