Raytheon has announced the delivery of the 500th Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 to the US Navy, marking a major milestone in one of NATO’s most enduring cooperative defense programs. The ESSM Block 2 is a medium-range interceptor designed to defend naval vessels against advanced air and surface threats, ensuring survivability in contested maritime environments.
Compared with the Block 1 variant, the Block 2 integrates a dual-mode radar seeker, improved maneuverability, and more flexible guidance to counter increasingly complex and agile threats. The missile maintains its 10-inch diameter (25.4 centimeters), enabling navies to continue loading four ESSMs into a single Mk 41 vertical launch system cell without requiring significant ship modifications.
The ESSM program is managed by the NATO SEASPARROW Consortium, established after the 1967 sinking of an Israeli destroyer by a Soviet-made missile. It is NATO’s longest-running cooperative weapons program, pooling the expertise and funding of 12 member nations, including the US, Australia, Canada, Turkey, and eight European allies. Together, these partners share responsibility for development, production, and sustainment of the missile.
The ESSM first entered service in 2002, while the more advanced Block 2 achieved operational status in 2020. The system can be launched from both Mk 41 vertical launchers and Mk 29 trainable launchers, allowing integration across a wide range of allied surface combatants. In addition to US warships, the interceptor has been deployed on allied vessels such as the Royal Netherlands Navy’s De Zeven Provinciën-class, demonstrating its versatility and multinational appeal.
