Original Coverage & Source Attribution: defence-industry.eu
The NATO SeaSparrow program has delivered its 1,000th Evolved SeaSparrow Missile Block 2, doubling cumulative deliveries since June 2025. The U.S. Navy said production is expanding to meet growing demand from the United States and international customers.
The ship-launched surface-to-air missile provides ship self-defense and local-area defense against advanced airborne and surface threats. It forms a protective layer for vessels, crews and maritime operations in contested environments.
“Delivery of the 1,000th ESSM Block 2 missile is a significant achievement for the NATO SeaSparrow Consortium, PMX-312, our industry partners, and, most importantly, the Sailors who rely on these weapons as a critical layer of defense,” said Capt. John Bowman, the U.S. Navy’s PMX-312 program manager. “This milestone demonstrates the enduring value of international cooperation and a resilient industrial base in delivering proven maritime-defense capability at the scale our nations require.”
Raytheon, an RTX business, is the prime contractor for ESSM Block 2 production. It works with the Navy, consortium countries and a multinational industrial base to manufacture and deliver the missiles.
Established in 1968, the NATO SeaSparrow Project is one of NATO’s longest-running cooperative weapons programs. Its 12 members jointly develop, produce and sustain interoperable ship self-defense capabilities.
The consortium comprises Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Türkiye and the United States. The program is managed by PMX-312 within PAE Munitions.
