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BAir defence
series of surface-to-air anti-ballistic missile and anti-aircraft defense systems
At a glance
Measured figures
Length
Single source12 ft (3.66 m)[source]
Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited · Length
Single sourceConfiguration
| Specification | RIM-162 ESSM | Sky Bow |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | Mach 4+[source] | Mach 4.5[source]Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited Mach 7.0[source]Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited |
| Type | Medium-range surface-to-air missile Surface-to-surface missile[source] | series of surface-to-air anti-ballistic missile and anti-aircraft defense systems[source] |
| Place of origin | United States[source] | — |
| In service |
Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited · Length
Single source5.673 m[source]Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited
5.498 m[source]Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited
Diameter
Single source10 in (254 mm)[source]
Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited · Diameter
Single sourceSky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited · Diameter
Single source0.42 m[source]Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited
0.4 m[source]Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited
Mass
Single source620 lb (280 kg)[source]
Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited · Mass
Single sourceSky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited · Mass
Single source1,135 kg[source]Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited
870 kg[source]Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited
Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited · Range
Single sourceSky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited · Range
Single sourceSky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited · Warhead mass
Single source90 kg[source]Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited
Bars compare reported quantities only. A larger figure does not make a system better; configurations and test conditions differ.
2004[source]
The TK-2, TK-3 and TK-4 are in service with the Military of the Republic of China[source] |
| Used by | Australia, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, UAE and the US[source] | Military of the Republic of China[source] |
|---|
| Manufacturer | Raytheon[source] | National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST)[source] |
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| Unit cost | US$956,000 (FY2016) US$1,795,000 (FY2021) (average)[source] | — |
|---|
| Produced | September 1998[source] | — |
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| No. built | 2000th missile delivered 2 August 2012[source] | — |
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| Warhead | 86 lb (39 kg) blast- fragmentation[source] | — |
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| Detonation mechanism | Proximity fuze[source] | — |
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| Engine | Mk 134 Mod 0 solid fuel rocket[source] | — |
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| Guidance system | Mid-course update datalink Terminal semi-active radar homing for Block 1, dual semi-active/ active radar homing for Block 2[source] | — |
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| Launch platform | Mk 41 VLS (RIM-162A/B) Mk 48 VLS (RIM-162C) Mk 56 VLS Mk 57 VLS (RIM-162F) Mk 29 box launcher (RIM-162D/G)[source] | Underground silos and mobile launch vehicles[source]Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited Towed quad launchers[source]Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited |
|---|
| Source measurement | In addition to the Mk 29 GMLS and Mk 41 VLS, the other primary launcher is Mk 48 VLS . The 2-cell module of Mk 48 makes the system very versatile and enables it to be installed on board in spaces that otherwise cannot be used. The weight of a 2-cell module of Mk 48 is 660 kg (1,450 lb; including empty canisters), 330 kg (725 lb) for exhaust system, and 360 kg (800 lb) for ship installation interfaces. Each canister of the Mk 48 VLS houses a single RIM-7VL (Vertically Launched) Sea Sparrow cell or two RIM-162 ESSM cells, though, with modification, other missiles can also be launched. There are a total of four models in the Mk 48 family, with Mod 0 & 1 housing either 2 RIM-7VL or 4 RIM-162 cells, Mod 2 housing either 16 RIM-7VL or 32 RIM-162 cells. Mod 0/1/2 are usually grouped into either a 16-cell module for RIM-7VL or a 32-cell module for RIM-162. Mod 3 fits into the StanFlex modules on Royal Danish Navy ships and can house either 6 RIM-7VL or 12 RIM-162 cells; the Danes now use the latter.[source]RIM-162 ESSM · Launchers / Mk 48; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage In November 2003, approximately 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the Azores , the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) frigate HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën conducted a live fire test of a single ESSM. This firing was the first ever live firing involving a full-size ship-borne active electronically scanned array (i.e. the APAR radar) guiding a missile using the Interrupted Continuous Wave Illumination (ICWI) technique in an operational environment. As related by Jane's Navy International:[source]RIM-162 ESSM · Operational history; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage Further live firings were performed by the RNLN frigate HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën in March 2005, again in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 180 nautical miles (330 km) west of the Azores. The tests involved three live-firing events (two of which involved the ESSM) including firing a single SM-2 Block IIIA at an Iris target drone at long range, a single ESSM at an Iris target drone, and a two-salvo launch (with one salvo comprising two SM-2 Block IIIAs and the other comprising two ESSMs) against two incoming Iris target drones.[source]RIM-162 ESSM · Operational history; only the objects and conditions stated in this passage | — |
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| Role | — | surface-to-air missile[source]Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited surface-to-air missile[source]Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited |
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| Propulsion | — | Single-stage dual-thrust solid-fuel rocket motor[source]Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited Solid-fuel rocket motor[source]Sky Bow III only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited |
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| Guidance | — | Inertial with mid-course guidance update from ground-based phased array radar, Active radar homing ( ARH ) for terminal guidance[source]Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited |
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| Introduced | — | 1997[source]Sky Bow II only; retired Sky Bow I values not inherited |
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| Country of origin | — | Taiwan[source]Inventory Origin column; table 5, row 4, cell 2; revision 1370505017; retrieved 2026-09-30 |
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| Reported operators |
| — |
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