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	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
	FY99 Annual Report

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

The Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) is a solid propellant-fueled, tail-controlled SAM fired by surface ships. It was designed to counter a variety of threats, including high-speed, high-altitude anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCMs) in an advanced ECM environment. Its primary mode of target engagement uses mid-course guidance with radar illumination of the target by the ship for missile homing during the terminal phase. The Block II version of SM-2 includes a digital signal processor to provide less vulnerability to ECM, an improved fuze and focused-blast fragment warhead that provides better kill probability against smaller, harder targets, and new propulsion for higher velocities and maneuverability. The SM-2 can also be used against surface targets.

A Block III version of SM-2 provides improved capability against low altitude targets. A modification to this version, designated Block IIIA, extends capability to even lower altitudes. Block IIIA includes a new warhead that imparts greater velocity to warhead fragments in the direction of the target. These SM-2 versions are provided as medium range (MR) rounds that can be fired from Aegis rail launchers, Aegis vertical launch systems (VLS), and Tartar rail launchers. Another MR version, designated Block IIIB, and shown in the accompanying illustration, added a passive infrared seeker for an alternate guidance mode. A Block IV version was developed to provide extended range, improved cross-range, and higher altitude capability for Aegis VLS ships, as well as improved performance against low radar cross section targets and complex ECM. Block IVA is being developed to provide capability against theater ballistic missiles, although it is planned to retain capability against anti-air warfare threats.

SM-2 Blocks II through IV are long-range interceptors that provide protection against aircraft and anti-ship missiles, thereby expanding the battlespace and jointly contributing to the Joint Vision 2010 concept of full-dimensional protection.

Full production approvals for SM-2 Blocks have been as follows: Block II was approved in December 1986; Block III in June 1988; Block IIIA in February 1992; and Block IIIB in September 1996, following the OPEVAL summarized below. Block IV was approved for LRIP in May 1995, but further development and procurement were deferred, pending development of the Block IVA missile (the interceptor for the Navy Area TBMD program), and Block IVA retention of Block IV capability against anti-air warfare threats. We note that since only early IOT&E of SM-2 Block IV was conducted to support the LRIP decision, its capability has never been fully determined against ASCM threat representative targets in some important categories. The Block IV program was restructured with the intention to proceed to DT&E/OT&E and support a full production decision if technical problems are encountered during development of the SM-2 Block IVA that preclude its retention of Block IV capability (never fully determined) against anti-air warfare threats.

OPEVAL of SM-2 Block IIIB was conducted during April 1996, with missile firings by an Aegis cruiser that was completing workup training for deployment. Based on OPEVAL results, we concluded that SM-2 Block IIIB is operationally effective and suitable, although there was degradation in minimum range performance. Our B-LRIP report was published in August 1996.

FOT&E of SM-2 Block IIIB was conducted in December 1998 at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sands, Kauai, HI. USS DECATUR, an Aegis destroyer, fired seven Block IIIB missiles and one Block II missile against threat-representative targets simulating attacks by anti-ship cruise missiles. This was followed by FOT&E in April at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Facility, PR and at PMRF in July 1999.

A successful production qualification round flight was conducted by a Block IV missile at the White Sands Missile Range. The first attempt, in December 1998, resulted in a failure when the booster failed to separate from the missile after burnout. An extensive investigation resulted in redesign of the dorsal cable, which was validated with a successful test in July 1999 against a sub-sonic target. Another SM-2 Block IV flight test at White Sands Missile Range in August 1999, resulted in intercept of a low altitude, short-range target. All test objectives were achieved, further validating round design.

Based on the 1996 OPEVAL results, we concluded that SM-2 Block IIIB is operationally effective and suitable, although there was degradation in minimum range performance. FOT&E conducted in December 1998 verified correction of the problem causing the loss of minimum range performance. Further FOT&E was conducted during April 1999, demonstrating capability against an actual anti-ship cruise missile with a Block IIIB that had undergone a more representative storage period on board fleet ships. Additional FOT&E was conducted in July 1999 to characterize and understand the potential of fratricide in certain operational environments. Another phase of FOT&E, intended to further investigate missile capability in a certain operational environment, has not been conducted as of this writing.

There is no formal OT program for Block IV because the Navy chose (as the Block IV EMD program was being executed) to initiate development of an SM-2 interceptor for theater ballistic missiles (TBMs). This TBM interceptor (designated Block IVA) would retain the Block IV capability against anti-ship cruise missiles. Consequently, the Block IV program would not proceed beyond LRIP, unless technical problems were encountered in the Block IVA development that precluded its retention of Block IV anti-air warfare (AAW) capability. However, since only early IOT&E was conducted in 1994, Block IV AAW capability was never fully determined. Engineering tests, planned for FY99 to demonstrate Block IV capability against maneuvering targets, an area not examined during the 1994 testing that preceded the LRIP decision, were delayed until FY00. This testing is intended to determine capability of the LRIP rounds that will be in the fleet. Production qualification testing of Block IV resulted in redesign of the dorsal cable.

The Block IVA program, which is part of the overall Navy Area TBMD program, is considered adequate in terms of demonstrating AAW retention. This includes a guided test vehicle flight against a high speed, high altitude target in FY00 at the White Sands Missile Range, NM, with subsequent at sea testing against targets representative of the anti-ship cruise missile threats. LFT&E is discussed under the Naval Area TBMD section.