Raytheon has delivered the first Standard Missile-6 all-up-round to the U.S. Navy from its new integration and testing facility in Huntsville, Ala. SM-6 defends naval vessels against fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and cruise missiles.

"SM-6 is a game-changing, transformational fleet defense missile, and we're on track to reach initial operating capability this year," said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, president of Raytheon Missile Systems.

"Our state-of-the-art production facility in Huntsville will play a significant role in delivering this asset to the U.S. Navy on time and on budget for years to come."

Raytheon opened the doors of its new $75 million, 70,000 square-foot, all-up-round production facility at Redstone Arsenal in November 2012. The facility features advanced tools and the latest processes for missile production, enabling Raytheon to streamline processes, reduce costs and add increased value for the warfighter.

"The SM-6's capabilities signal a new era in fleet defense for our U.S. Navy warfighters," said Wes Kremer, vice president of Air and Missile Defense Systems for Raytheon Missile Systems.

"The Huntsville team is fully committed to delivering this missile to our country's sailors with the kind of mission assurance they've come to rely on."

During a September 2012 test, SM-6 destroyed a cruise missile target using a remote cue from Raytheon's JLENS. The test was a significant step toward further extending a ship's defended footprint.

SM-6 delivers a proven over-the-horizon air defense capability by leveraging the time-tested advantages of the Standard Missile's airframe and propulsion.

+ The SM-6 uses both active and semi-active guidance modes and advanced fuzing techniques.

+ It incorporates the advanced signal processing and guidance control capabilities from Raytheon's Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile.

+ SM-6 has been selected to fulfill the U.S. Navy's sea-based terminal role, which provides defense against ballistic missiles in their terminal phase of flight.