RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile
Encyclopedia
The RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) is a small, lightweight, infrared homing
surface-to-air missile
in use by the American
, German
, South Korean
, Greek
, Turkish
, Saudi
and Egyptian navies. It was intended originally and used primarily as a point-defense
weapon against anti-ship cruise missile
s. The missile is so-named because it rolls around its longitudinal axis to stabilize its flight path, much like a bullet fired from a rifled barrel. It is the only US Navy Missile to operate in this manner.
The Rolling Airframe Missiles, together with the Mk 49 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) and support equipment, comprise the RAM Mk 31 Guided Missile Weapon System (GMWS). The Mk-144 Guided Missile Launcher (GML) unit weighs 5777 kilograms (12,736.1 lb) and stores 21 missiles. The original weapon cannot employ its own sensors prior to firing so it must be integrated with a ship's combat system, which directs the launcher at targets. On American ships it is integrated with the AN/SWY-2 Ship Defense Surface Missile System (SDSMS) and Ship Self Defense System
(SSDS) Mk 1 or Mk 2 based combat systems. SeaRAM, a weapon system model equipped with independent sensors is undergoing testing.
under a July 1976 agreement with Denmark
and West Germany
(the General Dynamics missile business was later acquired by Hughes Aircraft
and is today part of Raytheon
). Denmark dropped out of the program, but the USN
joined in as the major partner. The Mk 49 launcher was evaluated onboard the in the late 1980s. The first 30 missiles were built in FY85 and they became operational on November 14, 1992, on board the .
and 30 German
warships. All new German Navy
warships will be equipped with the RAM, such as the new Braunschweig class corvette
s, which will mount two RAM launchers per ship. The Greek Navy
has equipped the new Super Vita class fast attack craft with the RAM. South Korea
has signed license-production contracts for their navy's KDX-II, KDX-III, and Dokdo class amphibious assault ship.
, Wasp-class amphibious assault ships
, Tarawa-class amphibious assault ships
, San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock
ships, Whidbey-Island class dock landing ships
, and Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ships
. There are plans in place to equip Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates
with RAM launchers.
air-to-air missile, from which it took its rocket motor
, fuze
, and warhead
. Block 0 missiles initially home in on active radiation emitted from a target (such as the radar of an incoming anti-ship missile). Then, the terminal guidance is done by an infrared seeker
derived from that of the FIM-92 Stinger
missile. In test firings, the Block 0 missiles achieved hit rates of over 95%.
. The Block 0's passive radar
homing
capabilities have been retained.
In 1998, a memorandum of understanding
was signed by the defense departments of Germany and the United States to improve the system, so that it could also engage so-called "HAS", Helicopter, Aircraft, and Surface targets. As developed, the HAS upgrade just required software modifications that can be applied to all Block 1 RAM missiles.
Mk-15 Block 1B with an 11-cell RAM launcher to produce an autonomous system - one which does not need any external information to engage threats. Like the Phalanx, SeaRAM can be fitted to any class of ship. This is still in trial stages and not currently being procured by the US Navy.
In 2008 a SeaRAM system was delivered to be installed on .
Infrared homing
Infrared homing refers to a passive missile guidance system which uses the emission from a target of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared part of the spectrum to track and follow it. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers", since infrared is just below the...
surface-to-air missile
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
in use by the American
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, German
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
, South Korean
Republic of Korea Navy
The Republic of Korea Navy or the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization...
, Greek
Hellenic Navy
The Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence...
, Turkish
Turkish Navy
The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be...
, Saudi
Royal Saudi Navy
The Royal Saudi Navy is the Naval force of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Royal Saudi Navy is sometimes referred to as the RSNF . The Navy has about 15,000 officers and men, including 3,000 Marines. The Naval headquarters is in Riyadh. The Western Fleet is based in the Red Sea with the main base...
and Egyptian navies. It was intended originally and used primarily as a point-defense
Point-defence
Point-defence is the defence of a single object or a limited area, e.g. a ship, building or an airfield, now usually against air attacks and guided missiles...
weapon against anti-ship cruise missile
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
s. The missile is so-named because it rolls around its longitudinal axis to stabilize its flight path, much like a bullet fired from a rifled barrel. It is the only US Navy Missile to operate in this manner.
The Rolling Airframe Missiles, together with the Mk 49 Guided Missile Launching System (GMLS) and support equipment, comprise the RAM Mk 31 Guided Missile Weapon System (GMWS). The Mk-144 Guided Missile Launcher (GML) unit weighs 5777 kilograms (12,736.1 lb) and stores 21 missiles. The original weapon cannot employ its own sensors prior to firing so it must be integrated with a ship's combat system, which directs the launcher at targets. On American ships it is integrated with the AN/SWY-2 Ship Defense Surface Missile System (SDSMS) and Ship Self Defense System
SSDS
Ship's Self Defense System is an integrated weapons system used aboard large U.S. Navy ships, such as Nimitz class supercarriers and various amphibious assault ships, such as LHDs and LSDs. SSDS is an integrated combat direction system...
(SSDS) Mk 1 or Mk 2 based combat systems. SeaRAM, a weapon system model equipped with independent sensors is undergoing testing.
Development
The RIM-116 was developed by General DynamicsGeneral Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
under a July 1976 agreement with Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
and West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
(the General Dynamics missile business was later acquired by Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft
Hughes Aircraft Company was a major American aerospace and defense contractor founded in 1932 by Howard Hughes in Culver City, California as a division of Hughes Tool Company...
and is today part of Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
). Denmark dropped out of the program, but the USN
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
joined in as the major partner. The Mk 49 launcher was evaluated onboard the in the late 1980s. The first 30 missiles were built in FY85 and they became operational on November 14, 1992, on board the .
Service
The RIM-116 is in service on several AmericanUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and 30 German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
warships. All new German Navy
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
warships will be equipped with the RAM, such as the new Braunschweig class corvette
Braunschweig class corvette
The K130 Braunschweig class is Germany's newest class of ocean-going corvettes. They supplement the Gepard class fast attack craft that are currently used.-Technical details:...
s, which will mount two RAM launchers per ship. The Greek Navy
Hellenic Navy
The Hellenic Navy is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence...
has equipped the new Super Vita class fast attack craft with the RAM. South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
has signed license-production contracts for their navy's KDX-II, KDX-III, and Dokdo class amphibious assault ship.
US Navy
The U.S. Navy plans to purchase a total of about 1,600 RAMs and 115 launchers to equip 74 ships. The missile is currently active aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carriersNimitz class aircraft carrier
The Nimitz-class supercarriers are a class of ten nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the United States Navy. With an overall length of and full-load displacements of over 100,000 long tons, they are the largest capital ships in the world...
, Wasp-class amphibious assault ships
Wasp class amphibious assault ship
The Wasp class is a class of Landing Helicopter Dock amphibious assault ships operated by the United States Navy. Based on the Tarawa class, with modifications to operate more advanced aircraft and landing craft, the Wasp class is capable of transporting almost the full strength of a United States...
, Tarawa-class amphibious assault ships
Tarawa class amphibious assault ship
The Tarawa class is a ship class of amphibious assault ships operated by the United States Navy . Five ships were built by Ingalls Shipbuilding between 1971 and 1980; another four ships were planned, but later cancelled...
, San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock
San Antonio class amphibious transport dock
The San Antonio class is the United States Navy's new primary class of amphibious transport dock in the beginning of the 21st century...
ships, Whidbey-Island class dock landing ships
Whidbey Island class dock landing ship
The Whidbey Island class dock landing ship is a dock landing ship of the United States Navy. Introduced to fleet service in 1985, this class of ship features a massive well deck for the transport of four LCAC hovercraft for landing Marines....
, and Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ships
Harpers Ferry class dock landing ship
The Harpers Ferry class of the United States Navy is a class of dock landing ships completed in the early 1990s. Modified from the Whidbey Island class, it loses landing craft capacity for more cargo space, making it closer to an amphibious transport dock type, but was not designated as such. ...
. There are plans in place to equip Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates
Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate
The Oliver Hazard Perry class is a class of frigates named after the American Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the naval Battle of Lake Erie...
with RAM launchers.
Block 0
Also known as RIM-116A in US service, the original version called Block 0 whose design is based on that of the AIM-9 SidewinderAIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...
air-to-air missile, from which it took its rocket motor
Rocket engine
A rocket engine, or simply "rocket", is a jet engineRocket Propulsion Elements; 7th edition- chapter 1 that uses only propellant mass for forming its high speed propulsive jet. Rocket engines are reaction engines and obtain thrust in accordance with Newton's third law...
, fuze
Fuze
Fuze Beverage, commercially referred to as just Fuze , is a manufacturer of teas and non-carbonated fruit drinks enriched with vitamins. Currently the brand consists of five vitamin-infused lines: Slenderize, Refresh, Tea, Defensify, and Vitalize...
, and warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
. Block 0 missiles initially home in on active radiation emitted from a target (such as the radar of an incoming anti-ship missile). Then, the terminal guidance is done by an infrared seeker
Infrared homing
Infrared homing refers to a passive missile guidance system which uses the emission from a target of electromagnetic radiation in the infrared part of the spectrum to track and follow it. Missiles which use infrared seeking are often referred to as "heat-seekers", since infrared is just below the...
derived from that of the FIM-92 Stinger
FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile , which can be adapted to fire from ground vehicles and helicopters , developed in the United States and entered into service in 1981. Used by the militaries of the U.S...
missile. In test firings, the Block 0 missiles achieved hit rates of over 95%.
Block 1
The Block 1 (RIM-116B) is an enhanced version of the RAM missile that adds an overall infrared-only guidance system that enables it to intercept missiles that are not emitting any radar signalsActive radar homing
Active radar homing is a missile guidance method in which a guided missile contains a radar transceiver and the electronics necessary for it to find and track its target autonomously...
. The Block 0's passive radar
Passive radar
Passive radar systems encompass a class of radar systems that detect and track objects by processing reflections from non-cooperative sources of illumination in the environment, such as commercial broadcast and communications signals...
homing
Homing
Homing is the process of determining the location of something, sometimes the source of a transmission, and going to it.More specifically, it may refer to:*Infrared homing*Semi-active radar homing*Active radar homing*Acoustic homing*Homing...
capabilities have been retained.
Block 2
The RAM Block 2 is an upgraded version of the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) ship self-defense missile system. The RAM Block 2 missile upgrade aim is to more effectively counter the emerging threat of more maneuverable anti-ship missiles. The US Navy awarded Raytheon Missile Systems a $105 million Block 2 RAM development contract on May 8, 2007, with the missile development expected to complete by December 2010.HAS Mode
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
was signed by the defense departments of Germany and the United States to improve the system, so that it could also engage so-called "HAS", Helicopter, Aircraft, and Surface targets. As developed, the HAS upgrade just required software modifications that can be applied to all Block 1 RAM missiles.
SeaRAM (weapon system)
The SeaRAM combines the radar and electro-optical system of the Phalanx CIWSPhalanx CIWS
The Phalanx CIWS is an anti-ship missile defense system. It is a close-in weapon system and was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division...
Mk-15 Block 1B with an 11-cell RAM launcher to produce an autonomous system - one which does not need any external information to engage threats. Like the Phalanx, SeaRAM can be fitted to any class of ship. This is still in trial stages and not currently being procured by the US Navy.
In 2008 a SeaRAM system was delivered to be installed on .
General characteristics (Block 1)
- Primary Function: Surface-to-Air Missile
- Contractor: RaytheonRaytheonRaytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
, Diehl BGT DefenceDiehl BGT DefenceDiehl BGT Defence GmbH & Ko KG is a German arms manufacturer and a subsidiary of the Diehl Stiftung GmbH with headquarters in Überlingen. Diehl BGT Defence produces mainly missiles and ammunition.... - Length: 2.79 metre
- Diameter: 127 mm (5 in)
- Fin span: 434 millimetre
- Speed: Mach 2.0+
- Warhead: 11.3 kg (24.9 lb) blast fragmentation
- Launch Weight: 73.5 kg (162 lb)
- Range: 9 km (5.6 mi)
- Guidance System: three modes—passive radio frequency/infrared homing, infrared only, or infrared dual mode enabled (radio frequency and infrared homing)
- Unit Cost: $444,000
- Date Deployed: 1992