F/A-18 fighter was equipped with SM-6 rocket: why it was angered by China-experts

Based on Beijing's statements, the placement of anti-aircraft missiles with opportunities such as SM-6 poses a serious threat to China's safety. However, US allies in the region are already interested in the purchase of these missiles for their armed forces. American SM-6 missiles were again in the spotlight after photographs of the US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet appeared on the Internet, probably armed, probably an air version of the SM-6 missile (RIM-174).

This fact not only aroused great interest among military experts and observers, since such configuration is extremely unusual, but on this occasion were very excited in China. This is stated in The Eurasian Times from June 5. The observers write that the staff of the "Earth-Air Land" rocket Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) was installed on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet plane.

This event resembles a similar case of 2021 when a civilians took a picture of a Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet with a SM-6 missile under the left pylon. Then this picture was posted in Aerospace Daily, but there was no official confirmation of the US Navy. Despite the absence of official statements, experts believe that Super Hornet can be used as a starting platform for SM-6 tests, which will potentially expand the US Navy.

For the first time, such discussions, the authors of the publication, arose back in 2018, when they offered to convert SM-6 DUAL I to the Air-Air-Air-Air-Air-Bar missile and integrate it into Super Hornet. Super Hornet is currently equipped with modern ammunition, but nothing like SM-6, which is able to impress goals both on land and at sea at great distances, is not yet. Initially designed as a weapon for surface ships, SM-6 was adapted for use by all the troops, including land.

The observers pointed out that the placement of rockets in the Philippines has caused anxiety in China. On April 25, the Ministry of Defense's Ministry Prescribe warned on April 25, that the deployment of the United States with an intermediate missile system in the Asia-Pacific region could prompt Beijing to respond with decisive measures. "We are strongly opposed to the deployment of US ballistic missiles in the Asian-Pacific region. Our position was clear and consistent.

The US steps pose a serious threat to the security and stability of regional players and will inevitably cause a decisive response from China," he said. In addition, rocket opportunities have been angry with the US opponents and aroused the interest of allies such as Japan. In 2022, the State Department approved a potential military sale for $ 450 million 32 Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) Block I and related equipment.

Last year, the US State Department approved a possible foreign military sale of 38 units of such missiles of the South Korean Government. "Since the next-generation American missiles, such as AIM-260, are still in development, and hypersonic missiles remained at least a few months, SM-6 has become the most popular weapon in the US arsenal," the observers summed up.