Chile to Equip Ex-Australian Frigate with SM-2 Block IIIA Missiles

Chile is likely to place an order for Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IIIA missiles to arm the Navy’s Adelaide-class frigates formerly used by Australia.

The U.S. State Department today approved Chile’s request to buy Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IIIA missiles from Raytheon.

The contract is estimated to cost $85 million. It would cover 16 SM-2 Block IIIA missiles, 2 MK 89 Mod 0 Guidance Sections; and 1 Target Detection Device Kit (including shroud), MK 45 Mod 14, and related support.

This sale would support Chile’s anti-air warfare capabilities for the two recently transferred former Adelaide-class frigates to the Chilean Navy, a Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) release said.

The frigates, Melbourne (FFG 05) and Newcastle (FFG 06), were officially transferred by Australia to Chile in April 2020. Poland and Greece had also expressed their intention to buy the warships, which are relatively in good technical condition.

Both ships were purchased under Chile’s Puente IV program to replace the two ex-Royal Netherlands Navy’s Jacob van Heemskerck-class frigates built in the mid-1980s and purchased by Chile in 2005.