High cost, low impact: U.S. Navy's billion-dollar missile strategy falters
The total cost of the anti-aircraft missiles fired by the U.S. Navy during Operation Prosperity Guardian likely exceeded a billion dollars. Despite this, the achieved effect is not impressive as the threat to maritime transport continues to persist.
U.S. Navy ships deployed in the Red Sea fired nearly 400 different missiles during the fight against the Houthi rebels supported by Iran in the past 15 months. The list obtained by the portal The Warzone mentions 120 SM-2 missiles, 80 SM-6 missiles, 160 Mark 45 naval gun shells with a calibre of 127 mm, and 20 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles (ESSM) and SM-3 missiles. Their total cost certainly exceeds a billion dollars.
Expenses were disclosed by Vice Admiral Brendan McLane, the head of Naval Surface Forces, during the annual Surface Navy Association conference held on January 14, 2025. Altogether, naval ships, aircraft, and submarines clashed with over 400 drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis since October 2023.
McLane states that SM-2 missiles, with a range of up to 167 kilometres and an altitude of up to 19,812 metres, are the primary defensive measure for the U.S. Navy against anti-ship missiles and aircraft. To defend against ballistic missiles, SM-3 and SM-6 missiles are used, which can intercept ballistic missiles in the mid-course and terminal phases of flight, respectively.
The lowest tier of defence consists of ESSM missiles, and as it turned out, the Mk 45 guns are also effective against drones. These findings are similar to those obtained by the French and Italian navies. The issue is not the effectiveness of the weapons but rather the cost, which is particularly significant for SM family missiles, ranging from 2 to 12 million dollars (2.9 to 17.2 million Canadian dollars) each, depending on the version.
Additionally, the highest-ranking U.S. military leaders have also expressed concerns in recent months that missiles fired in the Red Sea and elsewhere are depleting critical ammunition reserves needed for future combat in the Pacific against China. For this reason, the naval service last year requested additional funds from Congress to restore stockpile levels to a satisfactory state.
SM family missiles — the main shield of the U.S. Navy
The U.S. Navy currently uses a mix of different missiles from the Standard Missile (SM) series, ranging from the SM-2MR Block IIIA dating back to the 1990s to the latest SM-6 and SM-3, introduced into service in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
The SM-2MR Block IIIA version, with a launch weight of approximately 700 kilograms, features an improved Mk 125 fragmentation warhead that directs the force of the explosion and fragments toward the target, significantly increasing destructive power with more fragments hitting the target. The missile guidance is still inertial navigation with a semi-active radar homing head requiring target illumination by the ship's radar until impact.
It is worth noting that since 2007, the SM-2MR Block IIIB variant has been produced, where, in addition to the semi-active radar homing head, an electro-optical seeker has been added, which improves the ability to counter stealth targets made, for example, using stealth technology.
The SM-3 missiles, on the other hand, are four-stage missiles weighing 1,500 kilograms with a range of up to 1,200 kilometres and are dedicated to intercepting ballistic missiles already in space. They have a kinetic warhead that destroys the object through collision, requiring great precision in hitting the target. SM-3 missiles have also been used to support Israel's defence during Iranian missile attacks.
SM-6 missiles are quite similar, as they are a cheaper two-stage option equipped with a directional fragmentation warhead. Their range is identical to that of the SM-3 (1,200 kilometres), but they are intended for engaging simpler targets. It is worth noting that the missile guidance system is identical among all mentioned types, starting from the SM-2MR Block IIIB.
