RIM-162 ESSM

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RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM)
Image:Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile.gif
Basic data
Function	Medium-range surface-to-air missile
Manufacturer	Raytheon
First flight	September 1998
Entered service	February 2004 aboard USS Chafee
General characteristics
Engine	Mk 143 Mod 0 solid fuel rocket
Launch mass	620 lb (280 kg)
Length	12 ft (3.66 m)
Diameter	10 in (254 mm)
Speed	Mach 4+
Range	27+ nm (50+ km)
Warhead	66 lb (39 kg) blast-fragmentation
Guidance	Midcourse datalink Terminal semi-active radar homing
Fuzes	Proximity fuse
Launch platform	Mk 41 VLS (RIM-162A/B) Mk 48 VLS (RIM-162C) Mk 29 box launcher (RIM-162D)

The RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) is a development of the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow missile used to protect ships from attacking missiles and aircraft. ESSM is designed to counter supersonic maneuvering anti-ship missiles. Compared to the Sea Sparrow, ESSM has a larger, more powerful rocket motor for increased range and agility, as well as upgraded aerodynamics using strakes and skid-to-turn. In addition, ESSM takes advantage of the latest missile guidance technology, with different versions for Aegis/SPY-1, Sewaco/APAR, and traditional target illumination all-the-way. ESSM also has the ability to be "quad-packed" in the Mk 41 VLS system, allowing four times the number of Sea Sparrow to be carried.

ESSM will be used by many allied countries. The first country to achieve operational status for ESSM after the United States was Australia. Other countries which also integrated the ESSM are The Netherlands, Germany and Norway. Other countries in the process of integrating ESSM are Canada, New Zealand, Denmark, Greece, Japan, Spain and Turkey.