PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY,KAUAI, Hawaii, SM-3 Interceptor Launch U.S. Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy, conducted the maiden ...
PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY,KAUAI, Hawaii,
U.S. Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy, conducted the maiden flight test of the Raytheon Standard Missile-3 from the Aegis Ashore weapon system, which is designed to protect U.S. deployed and NATO forces in Europe from ballistic missile attack.
The non-intercept flight, tested the safe launch and fly-out of an SM-3 Block IB missile against a virtual simulated target. An actual intercept flight test is scheduled for next year.
The land-based system uses the same SM-3 missile deployed on Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense ships today and currently holds 24 SM-3 missiles at one time.
According to the European Phased Adaptive Approach plan for missile defense, the first Aegis Ashore site will be operational in Romania in 2015.
The second Aegis Ashore site is on track forPoland in 2018. Both sites will be capable of launching SM-3 Block IAs, IBs and IIAs (2018) missiles.
During the test, a simulated ballistic missile target was acquired, tracked, and engaged by the Aegis Weapon System. At approximately 7:35 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time, May 20 (1:35 a.m. EDT, May 21), the Aegis Weapon System fired a Standard Missile (SM)-3 Block IB guided missile from the Vertical Launch System.
The program has completed 26 successful intercepts. All Aegis Ashore testing takes place in the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex, which will remain at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii.
US Navy recently deployed the improved second generation SM-3 1B Interceptor missile onboard its ships.
 |
| SM-3 Interceptor Launch |
The non-intercept flight, tested the safe launch and fly-out of an SM-3 Block IB missile against a virtual simulated target. An actual intercept flight test is scheduled for next year.
The land-based system uses the same SM-3 missile deployed on Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense ships today and currently holds 24 SM-3 missiles at one time.
According to the European Phased Adaptive Approach plan for missile defense, the first Aegis Ashore site will be operational in Romania in 2015.
The second Aegis Ashore site is on track forPoland in 2018. Both sites will be capable of launching SM-3 Block IAs, IBs and IIAs (2018) missiles.
During the test, a simulated ballistic missile target was acquired, tracked, and engaged by the Aegis Weapon System. At approximately 7:35 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time, May 20 (1:35 a.m. EDT, May 21), the Aegis Weapon System fired a Standard Missile (SM)-3 Block IB guided missile from the Vertical Launch System.
The program has completed 26 successful intercepts. All Aegis Ashore testing takes place in the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex, which will remain at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii.
US Navy recently deployed the improved second generation SM-3 1B Interceptor missile onboard its ships.
