The German parliamentary budget committee has approved the purchase of 600 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) Block 2Bs for the German Navy.
The surface-to-air missile system will be delivered between 2024 and 2029 at a cost of 561 million euros ($552 million).
The RAM is a ship self-defense system designed to protect vessels from multiple aerial targets simultaneously, including anti-ship missiles, helicopters, aircraft, and surface craft.
The supersonic guided missile system consists of the MK 44 missile round pack and the MK 49 guided missile launching system, which holds 21 missiles.
Upgrades Doubled Missile Maneuverability
Developed by RAMSys and Raytheon, the RAM Block 2 variant features a “larger rocket motor, advanced control section and enhanced radio frequency receiver capable of detecting the quietest of threat emitters,” according to Raytheon.
The upgrades increase the missile’s maneuverability two and a half times and extend its interception range by 50 percent.
Moreover, the system can be integrated easily with many vessels, using existing ship sensors to acquire targeting and pointing information to engage anti-ship threats.
