RIM-7 Sea Sparrow

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RIM-7 Sea Sparrow is a ship-borne short-range anti-aircraft and anti-missile weapon system, primarily intended for defense against anti-ship missiles. The system was developed in the early 1960s from the AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile as a lightweight "point defense" weapon that could be retrofitted to existing ships as quickly as possible, often in place of existing gun-based anti-aircraft weapons. In this incarnation it was a very simple system, guided by a manually aimed radar illuminator. Since its introduction, the Sea Sparrow has undergone significant development and now resembles the AIM-7 only in general form; it is larger, faster and includes a new seeker and launch system suitable for vertical launch from modern warships. The Sea Sparrow remains an important part of a layered air defense system, providing a short/medium-range component especially useful against sea-skimming missiles.

RIM-7 Sea Sparrow
Type Surface-to-air missile
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 1976
Production history
Manufacturer Raytheon and General Dynamics
Unit cost $165,400
Specifications
Weight 510 lb (231 kg)
Length 12 feet (3.64 meters)
Diameter 8 inches (20.3 cm)

Warhead Annular blast fragmentation warhead, 90 pounds (40.5 kg)
Detonation
mechanism
Proximity fuzed, expanding rod, with a 27 feet (8.2 m) kill radius

Engine Hercules MK-58 solid-propellant rocket motor
Wingspan 3 feet 4 inches (one meter)
Operational
range
10 nautical miles (19 km)
Speed 4,256 kilometres per hour (2,645 mph)
Guidance
system
Semi-active radar homing
Launch
platform
Ship

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