A four-month testing programme has started on the Aegis weapon system, in development by Lockheed Martin for the Australian Navy’s first air warfare destroyer.

The Aegis weapon system constitutes a precision S-band SPY-1 radar and missile system, which can intercept targets ranging from sea-skimming cruise missiles to ballistic missiles.

Once the testing is completed, the Aegis weapon system will be installed on HMAS Hobart, the first of three Australian air warfare destroyers.

As part of the testing programme, the company will integrate all the subsystems including the SPY-1D (V) radar, illuminators, computing hardware, and the cabling that will be used in the final ship installation.

The testing will be performed simultaneously with each subsystem’s installation as well as with the entire completed Aegis weapon system, making the system ready for sea operations.

Following the completion of testing, the weapon system will be shipped to ASC Shipyard in Adelaide, Australia to be installed on the Hobart Class destroyer.

The test is being carried at Lockheed Martin’s Aegis production test centre.