In2HiDef
10-26-2012, 07:14 PM
KWAJALEIN ATOLL-- Five ballistic and cruise missile targets were intercepted over the Pacific Ocean during large-scale operations this week in what the U.S. Missile Defense Agency describes as its most complex exercise to date.
In joint operations between the Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Army Air and Missile Defense Command, sailors on the USS Fitzgerald and airmen from the 613th Air and Space Operations Center, missiles were launched from ground, air and sea to test the performance of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, or BMC, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, and Patriot weapon systems. The live-fire demonstration was conducted at the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll's Reagan Test Site at Hickam Air Force Base.
Multiple sensors and defense systems were used to engage the targets and each were launched successfully. According to defense agency officials, the THADD system successfully intercepted its first medium range ballistic target in history and Patriot Advanced Capability-3, or Pac-3, destroyed a short range ballistic missile and a low-flying cruise missile target as it was over the water.
http://brightcove01.brightcove.com/22/275353186001/201210/3065/275353186001_1926818675001_vs-508ab8030e15b0e4107e3e58-807632865001.jpg?pubId=275353186001 MDA tests (http://videos.al.com/huntsville-times/2012/10/mda_tests.html) Five ballistic and cruise missile targets were intercepted over the Pacific Ocean during large-scale operations this week in what the U.S. Missile Defense Agency describes as its largest and most complex exercise to date. Watch video
An extended long range air launch target missile was dropped just north of Wake Island by an Air Force C-17 from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corp., the THAAD system tracked the target and soldiers used that data to destroy it with another missile. The THAAD was operated by soldiers from the 32nd AAMDC.
Another short-range ballistic missile was launched from a mobile platform floating northeast of Kwajalein Atoll. Soldiers with the 94th AAMDC used the Patriot System, made by Raytheon Co, to detect, track and successfully intercept the target with a PAC-3 interceptor.
The USS Fitzgerald was successful in its use of the Aegis system, built by Lockheed Martin, to engage low-flying cruise missile over the water. It was also used to track a short-range ballistic missile but officials said there was no indication it hit the target.
Since 2001, Ballistic Missile Defense System programs have completed 56 successful hit-to-kill intercepts in 71 flight test attempts.
In joint operations between the Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Army Air and Missile Defense Command, sailors on the USS Fitzgerald and airmen from the 613th Air and Space Operations Center, missiles were launched from ground, air and sea to test the performance of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, or BMC, the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, and Patriot weapon systems. The live-fire demonstration was conducted at the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll's Reagan Test Site at Hickam Air Force Base.
Multiple sensors and defense systems were used to engage the targets and each were launched successfully. According to defense agency officials, the THADD system successfully intercepted its first medium range ballistic target in history and Patriot Advanced Capability-3, or Pac-3, destroyed a short range ballistic missile and a low-flying cruise missile target as it was over the water.
http://brightcove01.brightcove.com/22/275353186001/201210/3065/275353186001_1926818675001_vs-508ab8030e15b0e4107e3e58-807632865001.jpg?pubId=275353186001 MDA tests (http://videos.al.com/huntsville-times/2012/10/mda_tests.html) Five ballistic and cruise missile targets were intercepted over the Pacific Ocean during large-scale operations this week in what the U.S. Missile Defense Agency describes as its largest and most complex exercise to date. Watch video
An extended long range air launch target missile was dropped just north of Wake Island by an Air Force C-17 from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Manufactured by Lockheed Martin Corp., the THAAD system tracked the target and soldiers used that data to destroy it with another missile. The THAAD was operated by soldiers from the 32nd AAMDC.
Another short-range ballistic missile was launched from a mobile platform floating northeast of Kwajalein Atoll. Soldiers with the 94th AAMDC used the Patriot System, made by Raytheon Co, to detect, track and successfully intercept the target with a PAC-3 interceptor.
The USS Fitzgerald was successful in its use of the Aegis system, built by Lockheed Martin, to engage low-flying cruise missile over the water. It was also used to track a short-range ballistic missile but officials said there was no indication it hit the target.
Since 2001, Ballistic Missile Defense System programs have completed 56 successful hit-to-kill intercepts in 71 flight test attempts.