Jacobs Helps MDA Test Ground-Based Missile Defense System; Steve Arnette Quoted

Jacobs Engineering Group assisted the Missile Defense Agency in the demonstration of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system's ability to intercept an intercontinental ballistic missile target.

The company said Thursday it provided integrated testing services for the salvo test, which deployed two interceptors against one threat representative ICBM, as part of the Integrated Research and Development for Enterprise Solutions contract.

"We are proud to support this first-of-its-kind test and the MDA national defense mission with research and development; system level test and evaluation; operational testing; and other mission support services," said Steve Arnette, senior vice president of technology and nuclear group at Jacobs' aerospace business.

Jacobs helped the agency with all phases of the test including ICBM and GBI launch efforts and management of the Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications system.

MDA and Boeing jointly led the dual-salvo test in March. The ICBM target was from Northrop Grumman and the two Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicles were from Raytheon.