The US Navy and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) have successfully completed flight testing of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser, USS Lake Erie (CG 70).
During tests, the onboard Aegis BMD weapon system gathered data from the in-orbit space tracking and surveillance system-demonstrators (STSS-D) to detect and track a target launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii, US.
A Raytheon-built SM-3 Block IA guided missile was then launched, which released its kinetic warhead to engage and destroy the threat in an interception.
The FTM-20 also demonstrated the space-based asset’s capability to provide mid-course fire control quality data to an Aegis BMD ship, as well as the ability to support longer range intercepts and defence of larger areas.
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By GlobalDataProgramme officials will now assess and evaluate the system performance based on the information gathered during testing.
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Since the first successful flight test intercept in January 2002, the Aegis BMD has achieved 24 successful interceptions from 30 attempts to date.
The SM-3 Block IA missiles are deployed to defend against short to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats in the ascent and mid-course phases of flight.
A next-generation long-range SM-3 Block IIA missile has also been developed with a larger kinetic warhead for a greater area of defence against sophisticated threats.
Currently, some 24 Aegis BMDS have been deployed with the US Navy onboard the Ticonderoga (CG-47) class cruisers and Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) class destroyers, as well as four systems with Japan Maritime Self Defence Force’s Kongo-class guided missile destroyers.
Image: USS Lake Erie launches a SM-3 Block 1A interceptor during the test. Photo: US Navy photo/Released.