Warramunga’s ESSM firing success

By LCDR Andrew Stackpool

“Bird Away!” as HMAS Warramunga achieves an ESSM firing off Hawaii Photo HMAS Warramunga

The Royal Australian Navy has successfully test fired the new Evolved Seasparrow Missile (ESSM).

The ESSM is one of the next generation of ship self-defence weapons against the latest anti-ship missiles.

The firing took place from HMAS Warramunga at the USN’s Pacific Missile Range Facility off Hawaii.

Defence Minister Robert Hill said the test firing was a milestone for the Seasparrow project, which involves fitting the Anzac frigates with the new self-defence weapon for use against anti-ship missiles.

“HMAS Warramunga is the first Anzac to be fitted with the missile and leads the way for it to be brought into service in the remaining Anzac ships,” the Minister said.

“The test firing off Warramunga is part of the operational evaluation stage of the project which is being managed by the Defence Materiel Organisation, while the DSTO participated in the development and test programs for the missile”.

The missile has been developed, tested and manufactured under a cooperative program by Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Turkey and the United States.

The ESSM is now expected to be fitted in the other Anzacs along with significant combat system software upgrades and illumination radar.

This will make the RAN the first navy world-wide to bring the ESSM into active service.

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