Raytheon's Evolved Seasparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 development is focused on the addition of a new guidance section with a dual-mode active/semi-active radar seeker, Brian Burton, senior director for Evolved SeaSparrow Missile programs, told AIN. The successful flight test of the ESSM Block 2, intercepting a BQM-74E aerial target recently conducted by the NATO Seasparrow project office, is the first to use the new Block 2 active guidance seeker-head. This test follows the successful completion of two controlled test vehicle flight tests in June 2017 and is the first in a series of live fire tests that will lead to the ESSM Block 2 missile entering production.
ESSM Block 2 initial operational capability (IOC) is scheduled to for 2020. Block 1 is currently operational on approximately 200 U.S. and allied naval warships worldwide, according to Raytheon (Chalet C9; Outdoor Exhibit 9).
Regarding launcher options, Burton said the ESSM is flexible, adaptable, and easily integrated. It is currently deployed from four types of surface ship launching systems: the trainable MK29 guided missile launching system (GMLS), configurable with up to eight ESSMs;MK48 guided missile vertical launching system (GMVLS), with up to 16 ESSMs; MK56 GMVLS, capable of deploying ESSM in variants ranging from four to 32 cells; and MK41 vertical launching system (VLS), configurable in multiples of eight-cell modules. When employed in the MK41 VLS, ESSMs are quad-packed into an MK25 canister, enhancing a ship's firepower and depth of fire with each VLS cell capable of accommodating up to four Evolved SeaSparrow missiles.
Answering a question on future export options beyond members of the NATO Seasparrow Consortium, Raytheon officials said this is to be decided by the U.S. Navy and NATO Seasparrow Project Office. Raytheon and its supporting international industrial partners continue the development of the ESSM Block 2 upgrade, which is a cooperative effort among all 12 nations in the NATO SeaSparrow project consortium (the U.S. and nine other members of the consortium developed ESSM Block 1).
