Missile Defense Elements Participate in Air Force Test

(Source: Missile Defense Agency; issued May 23, 2008)

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced today the successful completion of an exercise held May 22 involving Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) elements participating in a routine operational test of a U.S. Air Force strategic missile from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., as a “target of opportunity.”

Elements of the BMDS, including the Sea Based X-Band Radar, Beale AFB Upgraded Early Warning Radar, an Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Cruiser, and a transportable AN/TPY-2 radar, successfully detected and tracked the long-range missile over the Pacific Ocean.

Operational sensors provided acquisition and missile tracking data to the BMDS Command, Control, Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) system using operational communications links. Data collected by the BMDS elements will be used for extensive post-mission analysis to further characterize BMDS capabilities.

This test also served as a target of opportunity for several of MDA’s emerging technology programs, including the External Sensors Laboratory and the use of infrared sensors carried aboard F-16 aircraft to track boosting long-range missiles.

The Air Force test, called Glory Trip 197, was part of a continuing program to evaluate and demonstrate the operational readiness of our ground-based strategic deterrent force. The ability to utilize a target of opportunity allows MDA to conduct numerous important exercises and obtain extensive data without incurring the expense associated with launching a test-specific target missile.

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THAAD Shoots Down Separating Missile Warhead in Test

(Source: Missile Defense Agency; issued June 25, 2008)

The Missile Defense Agency announced today the completion of a successful “hit to kill” intercept in partnership with the U.S. Army for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense test element at the Pacific Missile Range Facility off the island of Kauai in Hawaii.

Preliminary indications are that planned flight test objectives were achieved. This test involved the intercept of a separating target (mock warhead separated from the booster rockets) in the “mid-endoatmosphere” (inside the earth’s atmosphere).

The target, representing a threat ballistic missile, was launched from a U.S. Air Force C-17 aircraft flying over the Pacific Ocean at 4:16 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time (10:16 p.m. EDT). Approximately six minutes later the interceptor missile was launched from a mobile THAAD launcher on the range facility.

This was the 35th successful hit-to-kill intercept of 43 attempts in the atmosphere and in space since 2001, and was the 29th of 30 successful tests conducted since September 2005.

This was the fifth successful intercept for the current THAAD program in five attempts. A sixth test was conducted in September 2006 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, but was not completed due to a failure of the target missile after it was launched.

The primary objective of this highly operationally realistic test was to demonstrate target acquisition, tracking and aimpoint selection by the avionics software contained in the THAAD interceptor, and to intercept a separating target. Another objective was to observe the effects of an interceptor launch on adjacent missile canisters in the THAAD launcher. The ability of soldiers to conduct launcher, fire control and radar operations was also observed.

Using current tactics, techniques and procedures developed by the US Army Air Defense School, soldiers, for the first time in a THAAD test, manually engaged the target using the system’s semiautomatic mode. Soldiers operating the equipment were not aware of actual target launch time. All of these factors provided increased operational realism to the test.

The U.S. Navy cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70), received a tracking cue from THAAD and used its advanced SPY-1 radar to successfully track the target, and conducted a simulated Standard Missile-3 interceptor missile launch to engage the target.

The Ballistic Missile Defense System now in development, testing and initial deployment and operations is currently or will be capable of providing a layered defense for the U.S. homeland, its deployed forces, friends and allies against ballistic missiles of all ranges in all phases of flight. The higher-altitude and theater-wide protection offered by THAAD provides more protection of larger areas than lower-tier systems like Patriot alone. THAAD can be transported by air to wherever it is needed worldwide, and consists of radar, fire control unit, missile launchers, and interceptor missiles.

The Army’s first THAAD battery was activated last month at Fort Bliss, Texas, giving soldiers the opportunity to train on THAAD equipment for approximately one year in anticipation of fielding.

The THAAD Program is managed by the Missile Defense Agency in Washington, DC, and executed by the THAAD Project Office in Huntsville, Ala. Lockheed Martin Corporation is the prime contractor. (ends)


A THAAD missile shot down a separating missile warhead during its latest test launch on June 26. (Lockheed Martin photo)