KAUAI, Hawaii The Lockheed Martin, Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy successfully demonstrated, on the first attempt, the second genera...
The Lockheed Martin, Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy successfully demonstrated, on the first attempt, the second generation Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD)Weapon System’s capability to engage a sophisticated, separating short range ballistic missile target with two Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IB guided missiles that were fired and guided to intercept nearly simultaneously on 18 Sept.
The test, known as Flight Test - Standard Missile-21 (FTM-21), was an operational test for Aegis BMD and SM-3 Block IB guided missile to engage and defeat a ballistic missile threat. FTM-21 marked the tenth time the USS Lake Erie (CG 70) and crew have successfully performed in Navy and Missile Defense Agency at-sea test events against cruise and ballistic missile targets using the second generation of the Aegis BMD configuration.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time (8:30 p.m. EDT), a complex separating short-range ballistic missile target was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. The target flew northwest towards a broad ocean area of the Pacific Ocean. Following target launch, the USS Lake Erie detected and tracked the missile with its onboard AN/SPY-1 radar. The ship, equipped with the second-generation Aegis BMD weapon system, developed a fire control solution and launched two SM-3 Block IB guided missiles to engage the target. The first SM-3 that was launched successfully intercepted the target warhead. This was the first salvo mission of two SM-3 Block IB guided missiles launched against a single separating target.
FTM-21 is the 27th successful intercept in 33 flight test attempts for the Aegis BMD program since flight testing began in 2002. Across all Ballistic Missile Defense System programs, this is the 63rd successful hit-to-kill intercept in 79 flight test attempts since 2001.
Aegis BMD 4.0.2 configuration provides the US Navy with the ability to respond to ever increasing and evolving ballistic missile threats around the world with persistent and reliable capabilities.”
The central component of the Lockheed Martin-developed Aegis BMD Combat System is the SPY-1 radar, the most widely fielded naval phased array radar in the world. The Aegis system and SPY-1 radar provide the U.S. and allied nations with advanced surveillance, anti-air warfare and missile defense capabilities.
The Missile Defense Agency and Navy are jointly developing Aegis BMD as part of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System. Currently, 27 Aegis BMD-equipped warships have the certified capability to engage ballistic missiles and perform long-range surveillance and tracking missions, as well as an additional four ships in the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force. The U.S. Navy plans to procure seven new Aegis BMD-equipped destroyers, and has also planned to develop two Aegis Ashore systems to perform ballistic missile defense.
Aegis BMD is the naval component of the MDA's Ballistic Missile Defense System. The Aegis BMD engagement capability defeats short- to intermediate-range, unitary and separating, midcourse-phase ballistic missile threats with the SM-3, as well as short-range ballistic missiles in the terminal phase with the Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IV missile.
