Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System

Fash · Post by **Fash** » February 25, 2005, 9:03 pm

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/050224/neth026_1.html

PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY, KAUAI, Hawaii, Feb. 24, 2005 /PRNewswire/ -- The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Weapon System and Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) destroyed a ballistic missile outside the earth's atmosphere during an Aegis BMD Program flight test over the Pacific Ocean. Raytheon Company develops the SM-3. Lockheed Martin develops the Aegis BMD Weapon System.

The Feb. 24 mission -- the fifth successful intercept for SM-3 -- was the first firing of the Aegis BMD "Emergency Deployment" capability using operational versions of the SM-3 Block I missile and Aegis BMD Weapon System. This was also the first test to exercise SM-3's third stage rocket motor (TSRM) single-pulse mode. The TSRM has two pulses, which can be ignited independently, providing expansion of the ballistic missile engagement battlespace.

The SM-3 was launched from the Aegis BMD cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) and hit a target missile that had been launched from the U.S. Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii.

"This successful flight test demonstrates the tactical, operational capability of SM-3 and the Aegis BMD Weapon System in real-world conditions," said Edward Miyashiro, Raytheon Missile Systems vice president, Naval Weapon Systems. "Successes like we've seen today provide decision makers the confidence to proceed with deploying in quantity, providing the Nation with a robust capability that will defend the U.S., deployed American forces, our friends and our allies. Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense is for real."

Japan has made decision to procure Aegis BMD with SM-3 for its Kongo class ships.

Raytheon's Missile Systems business in Tucson, Ariz., is developing SM-3 and leads the integrated team effort, which includes Alliant Techsystems, Aerojet, and The Boeing Company, which are providing major subsystems. Lockheed Martin developed the Aegis BMD Weapon System. Raytheon delivered five SM-3 operational rounds to the Missile Defense Agency in 2004. The program is transitioning to production, with Kinetic Warhead seeker and final integration occurring in Raytheon's state-of-the-art Kill Vehicle manufacturing facility, alongside the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle. Final assembly and test will occur in Camden, Ark.

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN - News), with 2004 sales of $20.2 billion, is an industry leader in defense and government electronics, space, information technology, technical services, and business and special mission aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 80,000 people worldwide.

Note to Editors:

Raytheon's hit-to-kill successes with the sea-based STANDARD Missile-3 occurred on Jan. 25, June 13 and Nov. 21, 2002, and Dec. 11, 2003; and with the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, part of the Ground-based Missile Defense program on Oct. 2, 1999; July 13 and Dec. 3, 2001; and March 15 and Oct. 14, 2002.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » February 25, 2005, 10:08 pm

Hehe yeah Raytheon has a great antimissle test record for the patriot too...Lets see the Patriot system shot down one out of 50 scuds it was launched at during the first gulf war...Oh and it did knock the shit out of a british fighter...

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » February 25, 2005, 10:49 pm

Later reports show that the object destroyed was not the missile which was targetted. Instead it was a transport plane carrying seafood.....

In other news, a message at the Kauai Visitors Bureau Information Hotline : 1 800 262 1400 has been reporting a strange outbreak of the crabs in the county.

Siji · Post by **Siji** » February 25, 2005, 11:43 pm

Aego please!

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » February 26, 2005, 10:55 am

It is a Success Accept it and go on with life.

Hoarmurath · Post by **Hoarmurath** » February 26, 2005, 11:55 am

Arborealus wrote:Hehe yeah Raytheon has a great antimissle test record for the patriot too...Lets see the Patriot system shot down one out of 50 scuds it was launched at during the first gulf war...Oh and it did knock the shit out of a british fighter...

Well, to be fair, the Patriot missiles used in the Gulf War were not designed to intercept SCUDs, someone just thought they'd give it a try, and they felt like they were successful, so they kept doing it. It wasn't until later that we figured out that the delay for the detonation of the Partriot warhead was wayyyy too slow to successfully intercept something moving as fast as a SCUD dropping out of the sky.

Oh, and as far as shooting down a British fighter...unfortunately the Patriot was working as intended...it can be set to fire automatically on targets which it identifies as threats. The operators placed the system into that mode, and the British plane 's IFF was either off, misconfigured, or broken.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » February 26, 2005, 12:46 pm

Hoarmurath wrote:
Arborealus wrote:Hehe yeah Raytheon has a great antimissle test record for the patriot too...Lets see the Patriot system shot down one out of 50 scuds it was launched at during the first gulf war...Oh and it did knock the shit out of a british fighter...
Well, to be fair, the Patriot missiles used in the Gulf War were not designed to intercept SCUDs, someone just thought they'd give it a try, and they felt like they were successful, so they kept doing it. It wasn't until later that we figured out that the delay for the detonation of the Partriot warhead was wayyyy too slow to successfully intercept something moving as fast as a SCUD dropping out of the sky.

Oh, and as far as shooting down a British fighter...unfortunately the Patriot was working as intended...it can be set to fire automatically on targets which it identifies as threats. The operators placed the system into that mode, and the British plane 's IFF was either off, misconfigured, or broken.

ermmmm if it can't take out a scud...a ballistic which moves relatively slowly compared to most modern missles and isn't even guided in flight nor powering into target (ie has a very predictable track when launched)...then it's really pretty useless as an antimissle missle nicht wahr?...

And yeah I realize there was an IFF failure on the Brit fighter...and it was close proximity and of course they never expected to be fired on and didn't have a shot at going evasive...

Aruman · Post by **Aruman** » February 26, 2005, 1:34 pm

Arborealus wrote: ermmmm if it can't take out a scud...a ballistic which moves relatively slowly compared to most modern missles and isn't even guided in flight nor powering into target (ie has a very predictable track when launched)...then it's really pretty useless as an antimissle missle nicht wahr?...

He said the ones used in the Gulf War, not the ones currently in use.

Fash · Post by **Fash** » February 26, 2005, 2:24 pm

Consider the fact that they are transitioning to production as a sign that confidence in it's accuracy has been proven to officials not only of the US but of Japan as well. Seems the opposite of the progress shown in the media, which leaves me to think there were more tests, simulations, and information sharing between the two countries than we're told about. There is reason to be confident about the system.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » February 26, 2005, 6:08 pm

Fash wrote:Consider the fact that they are transitioning to production as a sign that confidence in it's accuracy has been proven to officials not only of the US but of Japan as well. Seems the opposite of the progress shown in the media, which leaves me to think there were more tests, simulations, and information sharing between the two countries than we're told about. There is reason to be confident about the system.

Or payoffs to the good olf boy network...