Jane Edwards
The Missile Defense Agency has performed an operational flight test of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system and related assets in an effort to evaluate BMDS’ capability to detect and intercept ballistic missile threats.
MDA said Sunday the test’s assets included Lockheed Martin-built Terminal High Altitude Area Defense weapon platforms, two Raytheon-made AN/TPY-2 radars and a Lockheed-developed Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications system.
Other BMDS test tools included a THAAD launcher, a THAAD battery with a THAAD Fire Control and Communications tool and a General Dynamics Bath Iron Works-built USS John Paul Jones ship equipped with AN/SPY-1 radar.
The Aegis BDMS and the THAAD weapons systems neutralized two air-launched ballistic missiles targets after the THAAD AN/TPY 2 radar detected the targets.
MDA also tested the capability of USS John Paul Jones to launch a Standard Missile-3 Block IB guided missile against an air-breathing target.
MDA conducted the flight test with the U.S. Pacific Command and the U.S. European Command in the western Pacific Ocean.
