US Navy photo
The US Navy warships that engaged a massive barrage of Iranian ballistic missiles in defense of Israel on Tuesday fired SM-3 interceptors, a weapon that scored its first-ever kill earlier this year.
Two destroyers operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea fired around a dozen interceptors at the Iranian missiles, a number of which were shot down.
A Navy official confirmed to Business Insider on Thursday that the destroyers fired the Standard Missile 3, or SM-3, during the battle. It is unclear how many were fired.
The SM-3, a weapon manufactured by RTX, is an element of the Navy's highly advanced Aegis Combat System. The interceptor uses a kinetic kill vehicle to hit and destroy ballistic missiles during the mid-course phase of flight. Unlike the Navy's other air defenses, it is capable of exo-atmospheric intercepts, meaning it can eliminate targets beyond Earth's atmosphere.
The SM-3 had been tested dozens of times over the past two decades but never saw combat until April, when Navy warships used the interceptor to defend Israel from an unprecedented missile and drone attack launched by Iran.
Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro later said that the sea service would need to obtain many more SM-3s to counter future threats in the Pacific, like China, which maintains an arsenal of formidable theater missiles.
Tuesday's engagement now marks the second known use of the SM-3 in combat. USNI News first reported the interceptor's involvement on Wednesday.
Iran fired more than 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in the massive barrage, which Tehran said was retaliation for last week's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and the July assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The Israeli military said a majority of the missiles were intercepted by Israel and a defensive coalition led by the US. The White House confirmed that American forces "coordinated closely" with Israel to defend the country from the attack.
Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesperson for US Naval Forces Europe-Africa, said destroyers USS Cole and USS Bulkeley engaged Iranian missiles from the Eastern Mediterranean, adding that multiple missiles are believed to have been shot down.
The US has repeatedly said it will defend Israel and protect its own forces in the region from any attack by Iran or its proxies. The Pentagon has naval assets positioned in the Eastern Mediterranean and around the Middle East — more than it did in April — for such scenarios. American airpower assets are also in the region, with more coming.
The White House said Israel — with US support — managed to defeat the massive Iranian barrage, which did not appear to cause significant damage. Israeli officials have vowed to respond to the attack.
