The State Department approved a possible $301 million Foreign Military Sales (FMS) request to Australia for SM-2 Block IIIB STANDARD missiles, equipment, and support.
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified Congress of the potential sale on May 27.
The possible sale includes major defense equipment (MDE) of up to 80 Standard Missile, SM-2 Block IIIB Vertical Launching Tactical All-Up Rounds, RIM-66M-09 as well as up to 15 MK 97 SM-2 Block IIIB Guidance Sections (GSs). The MDE segment of the sale is worth about $216 million.
Other non-MDE includes MK 13 MoD 0 Vertical Launching System Canisters, operator manuals and technical documentation, U.S. government and contractor engineering, and technical and logistics support services.
The prime contractors for the sale are Raytheon [RTN] and BAE Systems.
Australia would use the missiles for anti-air warfare test firings during Combat Systems Ship Qualification Trials for the Royal Australian Navy’s three new Air Warfare Destroyers (AWD) currently under construction, DSCA said.
“The SM-2 Block IIIB missiles, combined with the Aegis combat systems in the AWDs, will provide significantly enhanced area defense capabilities over critical South East Asian air-and-sea-lines of communication,” the agency said in a statement.
DSCA highlighted Australia previously integrated the SM-2 Block IIIA into its Perry-class FFGs and recently upgraded its Intermediate-Level Maintenance Depot at Defense Establishment Orchard Hills with new guided missile test equipment capable of maintaining the SM-2 All-Up Round.
Implementation of the FMS would not require additional U.S. government and contractor representatives to be assigned to Australia.