The US Navy has just used the SM-3 missile interceptor in combat against Iranian ballistic missiles for the first time on Apr 5，2024, making it a very major milestone in the evolution of military defense technology. The SM-3, which is an exo-atmospheric interceptor, was used over the weekend to safeguard Israel from an unprecedented Iranian attack that rained more than 300 missiles and drones.
The Secretary of the Navy, Carlos Del Toro, confirmed the use of the SM-3 on Tuesday during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense hearing. “We’ve been firing SM-2s, we’ve been firing SM-6s, and just over the weekend, SM-3s, to actually counter the ballistic missile threat that’s come from Iran,” Del Toro said.
The SM-3 is an integral part of the Navy’s much-improved Aegis Combat System, specifically developed to intercept short- and medium-range ballistic missiles during the intermediate phase of flight. It is special in its ability to function in space, too, making it different from all other air-defense capabilities of the Navy.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank explains in its Missile Defense Project that, “SM-3s are unique due to being the only Standard Missile designed to operate in the vacuum of space.” This allows the SM-3 to be able to destroy targets well above Earth’s atmosphere, a mission complicated by the high mid-course speed and the requirement to seek out the re-entry vehicle rather than the separated booster.
SM-3 was far from the sole exo-atmospheric weapon to be deployed over the weekend. According to reports, the Israelis used their Arrow 3 missile-defense system capable of knocking out enemy threats in space to intercept many of the 120 ballistic missiles Iran fired at Israel on Saturday.
According to Israeli officials, 99% of the threats, fired by Iran and its proxies by way of one-way attack drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles, were intercepted by the military of Israel and its partner forces in the Middle East.
The US Central Command said the US forces had destroyed more than 80 drones and at least six ballistic missiles. In a statement published on Sunday, CENTCOM said, “Iran’s continued unprecedented, malign, and reckless behavior endangers regional stability and the safety of U.S. and coalition forces.”