Raytheon announces delivery of 500th ESSM Block 2 to US Navy
Peter Felstead
RTX’s Raytheon business announced on 1 October 2025 that it has delivered its 500th Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) Block 2 to the US Navy.
The company says it is investing in infrastructure and material to continue deliveries, with plans to nearly double production rates by June 2026.
The ESSM Block 2 is an advanced surface-to-air missile that has proven effective against a variety of air and sea-surface threats. It features an upgraded guidance system with a dual-mode active and semi-active radar seeker, increased manoeuvrability and improved performance over its Block 1 predecessor.
“ESSM plays a crucial role in helping to ensure both ship self-defence and local area defence for US and allied navies around the globe,” Barbara Borgonovi, president of naval power at Raytheon, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “The continued delivery of this capability is a testament to the strong partnerships and shared commitment among our team, our customers, and our allied nations to equip our servicemen and women with the best defence solutions,” Borgonovi added.
The ESSM programme is managed by the NATO Seasparrow Consortium, which is composed of 12 nations: Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Türkiye and the United States. The consortium is NATO’s largest and most successful co-operative weapons project and represents over 50 years of international military-industrial co-operation.
The memorandum of understanding entitled ‘International Development of the NATO Seasparrow Surface Missile System’, from which four founding members – Denmark, Italy, Norway and the United States – established the programme, was signed on 10 June 1968.
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