The US Navy is studying the idea of a beyond-the-horizon air defense missile specifically to deal with cruise missiles. The new anti-ballistic missile concepts are expected to be deployed soon, but the threat of cruise missiles against US land and naval forces remains. The Navy wants to move into a coastal region and stay there (while fully protecting itself from attack). Plans call for a Block-5 version of the Standard Missile to be used for this new mission. It would require an E-2C Hawkeye radar plane with the new Radar Modernization Program to detect incoming cruise missiles.--Stephen V Cole