In June of 2018, German frigates Sachsen and Lubeck were conducting a naval exercise north of
the Arctic Circle near a training area in Norway. One of the objectives involved testing and firing
several weapon systems, one of which was an American-made Standard Missile-2.
As the exercise was carried out, the first SM2 missile was fired successfully,
but then something unexpected happened. Footage taken by a sailor aboard Lubeck
shows the exact moment that the second missile fails to leave the vertical launch system
and causes an explosion that consumes the ship’s front deck in a burst of flames.
Powerless, the crew from Lubeck can be heard cursing and gasping, hoping that their brothers
can make it out alive… Standard Missile SM2
The Standard Missile 2 or SM-2 is an American surface-to-air missile
manufactured by Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a subsidiary of Raytheon Technologies.
It is primarily intended for fleet area air defense and ship self-defense.
Still, besides its anti-air warfare capabilities, it can also be used against specific ground
targets, but it varies according to the situation. The SM2 has a length of 4.72 meters, a wingspan
of one meter, a diameter of 34 centimeters, and it weighs approximately 708 kilograms.
It is part of the Standard missile family, such as the widely used Standard Missile 6.
In fact, it was developed to replace the SM1 and emphasize modularity in design to make it easier
to upgrade the missile and its components as more powerful technology was developed.
In addition, the SM2 is part of the US Navy’s Aegis combat system, which uses SM2,
SM6, SeaSparrow, and other missiles that provide effective defense capabilities against high-speed,
high-altitude, anti-ship cruise and aircraft threats.
The missile has a blast-fragment warhead that integrates a contact fuse and a radar.
Furthermore, it is armed with solid-fuel rocket motors and tail controls
for increased maneuverability and propulsion.
The missile can also reach speeds of more than Mach 3 and destroy targets
at a maximum altitude of 65,000 feet and a distance of around 90 nautical miles.
The SM2 Block II variant was upgraded with a signal processor
to strengthen the system against electronic warfare systems.
Additional modifications included a revamped fuse that increased the SM2’s ability to intercept and
engage smaller targets and a more powerful propulsion system for higher velocities.
Still, the current SM2 missile employed by the US Navy is the Block III,
which features an infrared laser system to track and engage targets with pinpoint accuracy.
These missiles can be launched from the MK 41 vertical launching system,
which also features a modular configuration to make the most out of future upgrades.
According to the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance: (QUOTE)
“The SM-2 has proven itself as a valuable anti-air and TBMD missile, even demonstrating limited
ability to strike surface targets. As a result, many US allies such as Australia, Canada, Germany,
Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, and Taiwan have adopted the SM-2.”
FGS Sachsen
The German Navy’s FGS Sachsen is the first of the advanced Type 124
air-defense frigates ordered in the late 1990s.
These Sachsen-class guided-missile frigates, also known by the F124 designation,
were chosen by Bundeswehr to replace the aging Lutjens-class destroyers.
These destroyers were crucial during the Cold War era.
Still, as the dawn of the new century approached,
there was not much to be done against the rising threats of modern technologies. Consequently,
the German Navy decided to incorporate these new warships on a one-for-one basis.
As of today, the Navy has three Sachsen class frigates, which are led by FGS Sachsen, FGS
Hamburg, and FGS Hessen. These vessels are some of the most powerful warships in the German arsenal,
and the Navy is planning on building a fourth one at the cost of around 2.3 billion dollars.
The three frigates were built by ARGE F124, a consortium that consists of Blohm & Voss,
Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft, and Thyssen Nordseewerke, which are now
part of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems. FGS Sachsen displaces 6,400 tons,
is 142 meters long, and has a beam of 17 meters and a draught of 6 meters.
In addition, its engine features a CODAG or Combined Diesel and Gas arrangement
that consists of two MTY V20 diesel engines with one General Electric LM2500 gas turbine that can
render a maximum top speed of 34.5 miles per hour and an approximate range of 402 nautical miles.
The frigate is also fitted with an array of conventional projectiles and missile weaponry
and is armed with an Oto Melara 76-millimeter gun and two Rheinmetall 20-millimeter guns.
Furthermore, it also carries two 12-millimeter Mauser MLG7 automatic cannons, one MK41 Vertical
Launch System with over 32 American SM2 missiles carries, two Rolling Airframe Missile launchers
with 20 reloads, and two devastating Harpoon anti-ship quadruple launchers.
Going back to its commission in 2004, FGS Sachsen has participated in numerous deployments, leading
several German-US exercises in the Mediterranean and the Pacific. And between 2013 and 2017,
the three Sachsen-class frigates were modernized to keep them up to date with newer technologies.
The Norway Exercise
In June of 2018, the German Navy decided to send the ships for a training exercise
to test the new weapon systems. Consequently, both Sachsen and
Lubeck were dispatched to the Arctic Circle to train with its NATO partner, Norway.
After testing several weapons, the crew successfully fired one of the Raytheon
SM2 missiles from the Mk launcher without any issues, heading directly towards its target.
However, the unexpected occurred when the captain cleared the crew to launch a second missile,
with a sailor aboard Lubeck capturing the ominous scene on video.
The footage first shows the silhouette of the frigate Sachsen in the background.
Then, a second later, a giant burst of flames erupts from the front deck
as the SM2 missile fails to leave the MK41 vertical launch system and explodes.
With smoke slowly consuming the frigate’s front, the sailors aboard Lubeck are heard
cursing in shock as a loud bang echoes through the sector, fearing the worst.
However, despite the devastating fire that quickly spread through the deck, the upper deck crew
aboard Sachsen reacted quickly and extinguished the fire with authentic naval discipline.
The threat was put to rest with the help of the sprinkler system before
putting more crewmen in peril. In the end, no sailors were seriously injured,
but two men had to interrupt their service due to a stress breakdown.
Aftermath
After the accident, both ships were called to the port of Harstad in Norway to assess the damage.
Thomas Hacken, Sachsen’s captain, then released a statement through the German Navy recalling
the incident: (QUOTE) “We were standing in front of a glistening and glowing hot wall of fire.”
Pictures from the aftermath showed the extent of the damage caused by the explosion
and how the deck, bridge, and the vertical launch cells battery were heavily scorched.
Nevertheless, the German Navy claimed that the frigate would be swiftly repaired and
back in service in no time. The Navy also explained that
the defective rocket had previously been checked and found in perfect condition.
Raytheon was reached for additional comments regarding the accident,
but they never officially responded. However,
this is not the first time that an SM2 missile from the company has unexpectedly failed.
In July of 2015, the US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS The Sullivans was conducting a
training exercise off the coasts of Virginia when an SM2 Block III exploded shortly after
launch. The explosion injured several crewmen and resulted in about 100,000 dollars worth of damage.
After a careful analysis from the pictures and footage taken
before and after the SM2 launch on Sachsen,
the US Navy announced that it was limiting the use of an unspecified number of SM2 missiles.
According to the press release, the missiles would only be used during wartime until further notice.
Although neither the Navy nor Raytheon have gone officially on record about the
causes of the accident, several experts have explained that it must be taken into account
that some of the SM2 missiles that are still in use are more than 25 years old,
which may have led to the failure of the rocket motor.
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