Boeing Supports Successful Intercept Test of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense
Boeing [NYSE:BA] today supported the seventh successful intercept of a ballistic missile target by the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) and the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (Aegis BMD) weapon system.
The test, Aegis BMD Flight Test Maritime-10, further validated efforts by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the U.S. Navy to provide a sea-based defense against short- to medium-range ballistic missile threats. This marks the first successful demonstration of the Block IA upgrades to the SM-3 and its Kinetic Warhead (KW), including enhanced discrimination, advanced guidance navigation and control, and sea-based deployability improvements.
"This lethal intercept by the SM-3 KW is confirmation that the system is fully capable of its mission to defend our warfighters, homeland and allies against ballistic missile attacks," said Debra Rub-Zenko, vice president of Boeing Integrated Missile Defense. "I am extremely proud of the dedication by the entire team in meeting our commitments to MDA and the Navy and in securing another layer of defense for our nation."
During the test, a medium-range ballistic missile target equipped with a separating warhead was launched from the Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. The target was detected and tracked by a U.S. Navy cruiser, the USS Shiloh (CG 67), which launched the SM-3 for an exo-atmospheric engagement. The SM-3 Kinetic Warhead successfully acquired the target and computed an accurate guidance and control intercept trajectory for the hit-to-kill intercept.
Boeing has been partnered with Raytheon on SM-3 development since 1996, and is under subcontract to integrate and test the KW hardware. Boeing is responsible for the KW avionics, guidance and control hardware and software, as well as the ejection subsystem. In addition to SM-3 round integration, Raytheon provides the KW infrared seeker, the signal and image processor and the integrated KW software.
In addition to its work on the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense program, Boeing holds key roles in several other elements of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System architecture. Boeing is prime contractor for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system and the Airborne Laser. It also develops and produces the seeker for the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) interceptor.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $30.8 billion business. It provides network-centric system solutions to its global military, government and commercial customers. It is a leading provider of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems; the world's largest military aircraft manufacturer; the world's largest satellite manufacturer; a foremost developer of advanced concepts and technologies; a leading provider of space-based communications; the primary systems integrator for U.S. missile defense; NASA's largest contractor; and a global leader in sustainment solutions and launch services.
###
For further information: