RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM)
Type: Long-Range Air Defense System
Domain: sea
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: Raytheon
First Deployed: 2011
Overview
The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 is Denmark's primary point defense anti-air missile, quad-packed into Mk 41 VLS cells on Iver Huitfeldt-class frigates. Block 2 adds an active radar seeker for terminal guidance and improved kinematics. Denmark is a founding member of the NATO ESSM consortium and uses it as its primary short-to-medium range anti-air weapon.
Technical Specifications
| range | 50+ km |
|---|---|
| speed | Mach 4+ |
| weight | 280 kg |
| packing | 4 per Mk 41 standard cell |
| warhead | 39 kg blast-fragmentation |
| altitude | Very low to medium altitude engagement |
| guidance | Active radar terminal seeker (Block 2) + semi-active midcourse |
Operators
- Australia
- Belgium
- Canada
- Denmark
- Germany
- Greece
- Japan
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Spain
- Thailand
- Türkiye
- United Arab Emirates
- United States
Related sea Weapon Systems
- Pohjanmaa Class Corvette (Squadron 2020) - Corvette (Finland)
- Type 212CD Submarine (Germany-Norway) - Submarine (Norway)
- Asahi Class Destroyer (DD) - Destroyer (Japan)
- HTMS Chakri Naruebet - Aircraft Carrier (Spain)
- TCG Işın - Support Ship (Türkiye)
- Haeseong (C-Star / SSM-700K) - Anti-Ship Missile (South Korea)
- Nongo-class Hovercraft - Amphibious Fighting Vehicle (North Korea)
- Neptune R-360 Anti-Ship Missile - Anti-Ship Missile (Ukraine)
- Riachuelo Class Submarine (Scorpène) - Submarine (France)
- HMNZS Aotearoa - Support Ship (South Korea)