In 1999,
Boeing and the
U.S. Navy conducted a live fire of a SLAM-ER from an
F/A-18 Hornet on the decommissioned
USS Dale (CG-19) off the coast of
Puerto Rico. The SLAM-ER obtained
initial operating capability in June 2000. A total of three SLAM-ER missiles were fired by the U.S. Navy during the
Iraq War, and the missile was also used during
Operation Enduring Freedom in
Afghanistan. The
General Electric Company provides an
Automatic Target Recognition Unit (ATRU) for the SLAM-ER that processes prelaunch and postlaunch targeting data, allows high speed video comparison (
DSMAC), and enables the SLAM-ER to be used in a true "
fire and forget" manner. It also includes a "
man-in-the-loop" mode, where the pilot or weapons system officer can designate the point of impact precisely, even if the target has no distinguishing
infrared signature. In 2020, a proposal was put to Congress to allow the sale of the SLAM-ER to
Taiwan. In March 2025, US Navy deployed AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER missiles to
strike Houthi targets. ==Operators==