Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System
Encyclopedia
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
Missile Defense Agency
Missile Defense Agency
The Missile Defense Agency is the section of the United States government's Department of Defense responsible for developing a layered defense against ballistic missiles. The agency has its origins in the Strategic Defense Initiative, which was established in 1983 and was headed by Lt...
program developed to provide defense against ballistic missiles. It is part of the United States national missile defense
National Missile Defense
National missile defense is a generic term for a type of missile defense intended to shield an entire country against incoming missiles, such as intercontinental ballistic missile or other ballistic missiles. Interception might be by anti-ballistic missiles or directed-energy weapons such as lasers...
strategy. Aegis BMD (also known as Sea-Based Midcourse) is designed to intercept ballistic missile
Ballistic missile
A ballistic missile is a missile that follows a sub-orbital ballistic flightpath with the objective of delivering one or more warheads to a predetermined target. The missile is only guided during the relatively brief initial powered phase of flight and its course is subsequently governed by the...
s post-boost phase and prior to reentry.
It enables warships to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles, by expanding the Aegis Combat System
Aegis combat system
The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin...
with the addition of the AN/SPY-1
AN/SPY-1
The AN/SPY-1 is a US naval radar system manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The array is a passive electronically scanned system and is a key component of the Aegis Combat System. The system is computer controlled, using four complementary antennas to provide 360 degree coverage...
radar and Standard missile
RIM-67 Standard
The RIM-67 Standard ER is an extended range surface-to-air missile and anti ship missile originally developed for the United States Navy...
technologies. Aegis BMD-equipped vessels can transmit their target detection information to the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense is the United States system for intercepting incoming warheads in space. Currently, it is a major component of the U.S. national missile defense strategy aimed against ballistic missiles, including intercontinental ballistic missiles...
system and, if needed, engage potential threats using either the SM-2 or SM-3
RIM-161 Standard Missile 3
The RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 is a ship-based missile system used by the US Navy to intercept short-to intermediate-range ballistic missiles as a part of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. Although primarily designed as an anti-ballistic missile, the SM-3 has also been employed in an...
missile.
The current system uses the Lockheed-Martin Aegis Weapon System and the Raytheon
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3). Notable subcontractors and technical experts include Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
, Alliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems Inc., most commonly known by its ticker symbol, ', is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States with more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, and 2010 revenues in excess of an estimated...
(ATK), Honeywell
Honeywell
Honeywell International, Inc. is a major conglomerate company that produces a variety of consumer products, engineering services, and aerospace systems for a wide variety of customers, from private consumers to major corporations and governments....
, Naval Surface Warfare Center
Naval Surface Warfare Center
The Naval Sea Systems Command Warfare Centers are composed of the Naval Surface Warfare Centers and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center . They operate in a seamless, integrated manner, and they collaborate with customers using a common work assignment process to get the right work to the right...
, SPAWAR Systems Center
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center San Diego
Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific is the U.S. Navy's research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support center for command, control and communication systems and ocean surveillance. SSC Pacific provides information resources to support the joint warfighter in...
, Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
Applied Physics Laboratory
Applied Physics Laboratory
The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory , located in Howard County, Maryland near Laurel and Columbia, is a not-for-profit, university-affiliated research center employing 4,500 people. APL is primarily a defense contractor. It serves as a technical resource for the Department of...
(JHU/APL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
Lincoln Laboratory
Lincoln Laboratory
MIT Lincoln Laboratory, located in Lexington, Massachusetts, is a United States Department of Defense research and development center chartered to apply advanced technology to problems of national security. Research and development activities focus on long-term technology development as well as...
(Lincoln Lab).
Origins
RIM-2 Terrier
The Convair RIM-2 Terrier was a two-stage medium-range naval surface-to-air missile , and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships. Originally, the Terrier had a launch thrust of 23 kN , and weight of 1392 kg...
and RIM-24 Tartar
RIM-24 Tartar
The General Dynamics RIM-24 Tartar was a medium-range naval surface-to-air missile , and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships...
anti-aircraft missiles were test fired against Corporal
MGM-5 Corporal
The MGM-5 Corporal missile was the first guided weapon authorized by the United States to carry a nuclear warhead.The first nuclear-authorized unguided rocket was the MGR-1 Honest John...
and Redstone
Redstone (rocket)
The PGM-11 Redstone was the first large American ballistic missile. A short-range surface-to-surface rocket, it was in active service with the U.S. Army in West Germany from June 1958 to June 1964 as part of NATO's Cold War defense of Western Europe...
missiles. While some of those tests were successful, the capability was not exploited.
The current effort to deploy Aegis ballistic missile defense (ABMD) was begun during the mid 1980s as part of President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's Strategic Defense Initiative
Strategic Defense Initiative
The Strategic Defense Initiative was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983 to use ground and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic...
(SDI). The SDI plan was initially for a space-based railgun
Railgun
A railgun is an entirely electrical gun that accelerates a conductive projectile along a pair of metal rails using the same principles as the homopolar motor. Railguns use two sliding or rolling contacts that permit a large electric current to pass through the projectile. This current interacts...
system. However, due to technological constraints, the system was transformed into a surface-based system known as the Lightweight Exo-atmospheric Projectile
Lightweight Exo-Atmospheric Projectile
The Lightweight Exo-atmospheric Projectile is a lightweight miniaturized kinetic kill vehicle designed to destroy incoming ballistic missiles both inside or outside the Earth's atmosphere...
(LEAP). The original testing of the LEAP was done as part of the Army LEAP program.
Later, SDIO worked with the Navy to test the LEAP on the Terrier
RIM-2 Terrier
The Convair RIM-2 Terrier was a two-stage medium-range naval surface-to-air missile , and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships. Originally, the Terrier had a launch thrust of 23 kN , and weight of 1392 kg...
missile. The TERRIER LEAP demonstration program lasted from 1991 into 1995 and consisted of five flight tests. Two of these were intercept tests in early 1995; both failed to intercept—the first had a software error in the second stage booster, the second had a squib (pyrotechnic switch to connect power) in the kinetic kill vehicle that was mounted backwards and failed to fire.
Program history and development
During the late 1990s, the US Navy was tasked to provide a weapon system for exploratory testing of LEAP. This phase was designated the Aegis LEAP Intercept (ALI) program. The program was for two successful intercepts in five attempts. On June 13, 2002, the second successful ALI intercept occurred during the FM-3 flight test mission. Initial Aegis BMD success may have contributed to President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
's decision to deploy an emergency ballistic missile capability by late 2004.
Upon the completion of the ALI program, Aegis BMD was transitioned to the production phase. The first Block I production SM-3 was delivered in October 2004, and the Aegis 3.0 update was delivered in 2005.
This system was given major new importance by President Obama in September 2009, when he announced plans to scrap the plans for a missile defense site in Poland
US missile defense complex in Poland
The US missile defense complex in Poland, also called the European Interceptor Site was part of the Ballistic Missile Defense European Capability of the US, to be placed in Redzikowo, Słupsk, Poland, forming a Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system in conjunction with a US narrow-beam midcourse...
, in favor of missile defense systems located on US Navy warships. On 18 September 2009, Russian Prime Minister Putin welcomed Obama's plans for missile defense which may include stationing American Aegis armed warships in the Black Sea.
In 2009, several US Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
ships were fitted with SM-3 missiles to serve this function, which complements the Patriot systems already deployed by American units. Also, warships of Japan and Australia have been given weapons and technology to enable them to participate as well.
Current Aegis BMD hardware includes the SM-3 Block-1a missile and other improvements to the Aegis Weapons System.
Future development of the Aegis BMD system includes Launch on Remote capability, upgraded SM-3 avionics and hardware, and an upgraded Aegis Weapon System. In 2012 Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense will merge with Aegis Open Architecture and deliver the benefits of both platforms.
The Launch on Remote capability involves the use of off-board sensors, such as the Space Tracking and Surveillance System
Space Tracking and Surveillance System
The United States Missile Defense Agency is developing a Space Tracking and Surveillance System which it will use to research the space-based detection and tracking of ballistic missiles. Data from STSS satellites could allow interceptors to engage incoming missiles earlier in flight than would...
to provide a targeting solution for a SM-3 launch.
A land-based component, Aegis Ashore, is also planned. This would consist of equipment which is commonly used by the Navy being deployed in land-based facilities. This would include SPY-1 radars and a battery of Standard Missile-3s. The Obama administration’s plans call for two sites: the first in Romania in 2015 and the second in Poland in 2018. In 2020, both will get the latest versions of the Aegis BMD software and the latest version of the SM-3. Some radar facilities will be placed in Turkey at a future date.
Deployment
Several countries have begun to deploy this system. The most prominent are the United States and Japan. Also, Spain, United Kingdom, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, and NATO are taking effort to install LRST and engagement capable systems.U.S. Navy Aegis BMD Vessels
A total of five US NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Ticonderoga class cruiser
Ticonderoga class cruiser
The Ticonderoga class of missile cruisers is a class of warships in the United States Navy, first ordered and authorized in FY 1978. The class uses phased-array radar and was originally planned as a class of destroyers...
s and 16 Arleigh Burke class destroyer
Arleigh Burke class destroyer
The Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers is the United States Navy's first class of destroyer built around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-1D multi-function phased array radar. The class is named for Admiral Arleigh "31-Knot" Burke, the most famous American destroyer officer of...
s have BMD capability . In 2010, all remaining Ticonderoga class cruisers that have SPY 1B systems (CG-59–CG-73) will be refitted with TBMD engagement technology.
Ticonderoga class cruisers equipped with anti-ballistic missile capability include the USS Lake Erie
USS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
, USS Shiloh
USS Shiloh (CG-67)
USS Shiloh is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser of the United States Navy, named in remembrance of the Battle of Shiloh in the American Civil War. She was built at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The vessel is commanded by Captain James T...
and USS Port Royal
USS Port Royal (CG-73)
USS Port Royal is a United States Navy guided missile cruiser, the 27th and final in the class. She is the second U.S. warship to bear the name of two naval battles of Port Royal Sound, South Carolina, of the American Revolutionary War and the American Civil War...
. Arleigh Burke class destroyers so equipped include the USS Wilbur
USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54)
USS Curtis Wilbur is the fourth Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer. Curtis Wilbur was named for Curtis D. Wilbur, forty-third Secretary of the Navy, who served under President Calvin Coolidge....
, USS Stout
USS Stout (DDG-55)
USS Stout is the sixth Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer. Built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, she was commissioned on 13 August 1994 and she is currently homeported in Norfolk, Virginia.-Etymology:...
, USS John S. McCain
USS John S. McCain (DDG-56)
USS John S. McCain is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She is part of the Seventh Fleet, and she has her homeport at the Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan....
, USS Russell, USS Paul Hamilton
USS Paul Hamilton (DDG-60)
USS Paul Hamilton is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy.Paul Hamilton was commissioned in Charleston, South Carolina...
, USS Ramage
USS Ramage (DDG-61)
USS Ramage is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy. The ship is named for Vice Admiral Lawson P...
, USS Fitzgerald
USS Fitzgerald (DDG-62)
USS Fitzgerald , named for Lieutenant William Charles Fitzgerald, USN is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was laid down by Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine 9 February 1993; launched 29 January 1994; and commissioned 14 October 1995 in Newport, R.I...
, USS Stethem
USS Stethem (DDG-63)
USS Stethem is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. The ship was built in Pascagoula, Mississippi, starting on May 11, 1993. The ship was commissioned on October 21, 1995 and is based out of Yokosuka, Japan. It has operated throughout the Pacific Ocean, as well as on...
, USS Benfold
USS Benfold (DDG-65)
The USS Benfold is an Arleigh Burke class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for the USN Hospital Corpsman Edward Clyde Benfold. She is the first U.S...
, USS Milius
USS Milius (DDG-69)
The USS Milius is an Arleigh Burke-class Aegis guided missile destroyer of the United States Navy. Her namesake is Commander Paul L. Milius of U.S. Navy squadron VO-67. His aircraft was hit over Laos in 1968 and he ordered his crew to bail out. Although he exited his aircraft, he was never...
, USS Decatur
USS Decatur (DDG-73)
USS Decatur is an Arleigh Burke class destroyer. The fifth ship to carry the name, Decatur was laid down on 11 January 1996 by Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine; launched on 9 November 1996, sponsored by Mrs. Joan E. Shalikashvili, wife of John M. Shalikashvili, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff;...
, USS O'Kane.
An additional three ships have been refitted for Long Range Surveillance and Tracking (LRST): USS John Paul Jones
USS John Paul Jones (DDG-53)
USS John Paul Jones is the third Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer and the first ship of the class homeported on the west coast. She is named after American Revolutionary War Captain John Paul Jones...
, USS Hopper
USS Hopper (DDG-70)
USS Hopper , an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer, is a ship of the United States Navy named for the pioneering computer scientist, Rear Admiral "Amazing Grace" Hopper....
, and USS Higgins
USS Higgins (DDG-76)
USS Higgins is a Flight I Arleigh Burke-class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was commissioned in 1999 and named after William R...
, with plans to add engagement capabilities by 2010.
On November 12, 2009, the Missile Defense Agency announced that six additional US Navy destroyers would be upgraded to participate in the program. In fiscal 2012, , , and will be upgraded. , and will be upgraded in fiscal 2013. The goal of the program is to have 21 ships upgraded by the end of 2010; 24 in 2012; 27 around 2013 and 38 at the end of FY 2015.
In January 2010, the Obama Administration began to increase the deployed presence of Aegis BMD-equipped warships in the Persian Gulf. Some media reports attributed this to heightened concerns about conduct of Iran and its possible nuclear weapons effort.
Japanese deployment
The JMSDF has equipped three vessels for LRST and engagement: JS Kongo, JS Chokai, JS Myoko, and in 2010 the JS Kirishima. Japan's foreign minister Hirofumi NakasoneHirofumi Nakasone
is a Japanese politician from Takasaki, Gunma, who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs until September 2009. He was Minister of Education under Prime Minister Yoshirō Mori. He is former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone's son....
and South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs Yu Myung-hwan
Yu Myung-hwan
Yu Myung-hwan is a South Korean diplomat, he was Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade from February 2008 to September.4 2010. His resignation was caused when his daughter was given a job in his department . He has previously held posts including Ambassador to Israel, Japan and the Philippines...
agreed that early April 5, 2009 launch of the North Korean Unha-2 satellite violated UN resolutions 1695 and 1718 of July 2006. Japan's cabinet examined approval of a JMSDF AEGIS BMD engagement in the event of a failure of the Taepondong launch.
The Japanese government also noted that it could bypass cabinet for an interception under Article 82, Section 2, Paragraph 3 of the Self-Defence Forces law. In total, 5 AEGIS destroyers were deployed at that time.
The intercept-capability was a 2-tiered use of SM-3's in the boost phase and Patriot AC-3's in the event of re-entry in Japanese airspace during a potential failure.
Supplemental to SM-3 capability the Japanese system incorporates an airborne component. Together discrimination between platform tests and satellite launches is possible by analyzing the angle of ascent.
Australia
Australia has begun to acquire various weapons and technological equipment for installation on warships in order to be part of the Aegis BMD. There is evidence that these systems will be installed on its new destroyer which is still under construction, the Air Warfare Destroyer.Political debate
Tom Laliberty of Raytheon said that President Barack ObamaBarack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
was forced to shift from a land based missile defense system to a sea based one because of the difficulties of coordinating with partner nations.
There is discussion about the effectiveness of this plan. Some critics say it might not be as effective as a ground-based defense. Also, the US Defense Department has said it would be just one component of a wider defense which might also include ground-based facilities. There are some reports that SPY-1 radar systems onboard some individual warships are not being maintained properly. A Navy panel headed by retired Vice Adm. Phillip Balisle has asserted that over-emphasis on saving money, including cuts in crews and streamlined training and maintenance, has led to a drastic decline in readiness, and has left Aegis combat systems in low state of readiness.
Other capabilities
The Aegis BMD system, coupled with the RIM-161 Standard missile (SM-3), has also demonstrated a limited capability as an anti-satellite weaponAnti-satellite weapon
Anti-satellite weapons are designed to incapacitate or destroy satellites for strategic military purposes. Currently, only the United States, the former Soviet Union, and the People's Republic of China are known to have developed these weapons. On September 13, 1985, the United States destroyed US...
against satellites in the lower portion of low Earth orbit
Low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit is generally defined as an orbit within the locus extending from the Earth’s surface up to an altitude of 2,000 km...
. On February 20, 2008, USA 193
USA 193
USA-193, also known as NRO launch 21 , was an American military spy satellite launched on December 14, 2006. It was the first launch conducted by the United Launch Alliance...
was destroyed by a group of Aegis ships in the Pacific, out of concern of that satellite's hydrazine
Hydrazine
Hydrazine is an inorganic compound with the formula N2H4. It is a colourless flammable liquid with an ammonia-like odor. Hydrazine is highly toxic and dangerously unstable unless handled in solution. Approximately 260,000 tons are manufactured annually...
payload contaminating land area upon re-entry from an uncontrolled orbit. The launching vessel was the USS Lake Erie
USS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
, and one SM-3 missile was used. Interception was at an altitude of 133 nautical miles (247 kilometers).
CTV-1a
The first flight for Raytheon'sRaytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
SM-3 came on September 24, 1999, during Control Test Vehicle (CTV)-1A (Codename: Stellar Phoenix). CTV-1a was a test of the first and second stage of the SM-3. The mission was considered a success. The USS Shiloh
USS Shiloh (CG-67)
USS Shiloh is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser of the United States Navy, named in remembrance of the Battle of Shiloh in the American Civil War. She was built at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The vessel is commanded by Captain James T...
was the launching ship.
FTR-1
The next mission was conducted in July 2000 and designated Flight Test Round (FTR-1) (Codename: Stellar Archer). This mission ended in failure when the Third Stage Rocket Motor (TSRM) failed to separate from the second stage. The USS ShilohUSS Shiloh (CG-67)
USS Shiloh is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser of the United States Navy, named in remembrance of the Battle of Shiloh in the American Civil War. She was built at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The vessel is commanded by Captain James T...
was the launching ship.
FTR-1a
FTR-1a (Codename: Stellar Gemini) was conducted on January 25, 2001. This mission would be the first time a live unitary target was engaged by the Aegis BMD system. The test target was launched from the U.S. Navy's Pacific Missile Range FacilityPacific Missile Range Facility
The Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands is a U.S. Naval facility and airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Kekaha, in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States....
located on the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
FTR-1a would demonstrate exo-atmospheric avionics operation of the SM-3 Kinetic Warhead (KW) and the real-time performance of the Aegis BMD AN/SPY-1
AN/SPY-1
The AN/SPY-1 is a US naval radar system manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The array is a passive electronically scanned system and is a key component of the Aegis Combat System. The system is computer controlled, using four complementary antennas to provide 360 degree coverage...
radar. At the time this test was conducted, the KW's propulsion system, the Solid Divert and Attitude Control System(SDACS), was still being developed. Total system operation was demonstrated in FM-2. The mission was considered successful when the KW acquired and tracked the test target for several seconds. The USS Lake Erie
USS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
was the launching ship.
FM-2
The purpose of Flight Mission (FM)-2 (Codename: Stellar Eagle) was to characterize the Aegis Weapon System and Standard Missile-3 interceptor. The mission was not required to intercept the target. On January 25, 2002, an SM-3 launched from the USS Lake Erie collided with a test target northeast of the island of Kauai. This mission was the first interception of a ballistic missile from a sea-based platform.FM-3
Pacific Missile Range Facility
The Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands is a U.S. Naval facility and airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Kekaha, in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States....
during FM-3 (Codename: Stellar Impact). The USS Lake Erie
USS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
was the firing ship. This mission marked the successful completion of the Aegis LEAP Intercept program.
June 13, 2002 was also the date that the United States withdrew from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (ABM Treaty)
Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty
The Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty was a treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union on the limitation of the anti-ballistic missile systems used in defending areas against missile-delivered nuclear weapons....
, which limited the development of a strategic anti-ballistic missile system (to be considered strategic Aegis would need capability against the current Russian ICBMs and SLBMs).
FM-4
USS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
was the launching ship.
FM-5
On June 18, 2003, the FM-5 mission (Codename: Stellar Hammer) resulted in the first test failure of an operational Aegis BMD system. During the test, the SDACS propulsion system used to guide the SM-3's kinetic warhead suffered a malfunction after ignition. It is important to note that prior to the rocket motor failure the SM-3 kinetic warhead was on an intercept course with the test target. The USS Lake ErieUSS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
was the firing ship.
FM-6
FTM 04-1 (FM-7)
After the FM-6 mission, the Missile Defense AgencyMissile Defense Agency
The Missile Defense Agency is the section of the United States government's Department of Defense responsible for developing a layered defense against ballistic missiles. The agency has its origins in the Strategic Defense Initiative, which was established in 1983 and was headed by Lt...
implemented a change to the flight test naming convention for all subsequent ABMD flight tests. According to MDA the new convention better reflected the program's position within the Block 2004/2006 schema of development. The new name, Flight Test Mission (FTM) 04-1 (Codename: Stellar Dragon), indicated that this would be the first flight test under the Block 2004 development cycle for Aegis BMD. On February 24, 2005, FM-7, or FTM 04-1, demonstrated yet again the system's ability to destroy an enemy ballistic missile. The USS Lake Erie
USS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
was the firing ship.
FTM 04-2 (FM-8)
USS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
was the firing ship.
FTM 04-3 (FM-9)
FM-9 or FTM 04-3 was canceled as it was a repeat of the FTM 04-2 mission and therefore deemed redundant.FTM-10
FTM-10 (Codename: Stellar Predator) was conducted in 4 events. On June 23, 2006, event 2 demonstrated the Aegis BMD system. The FTM-10 test target was the MRT with a separating warhead. The USS ShilohUSS Shiloh (CG-67)
USS Shiloh is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser of the United States Navy, named in remembrance of the Battle of Shiloh in the American Civil War. She was built at the Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The vessel is commanded by Captain James T...
was the launching ship and utilized the Aegis Weapon System version 3.6 for the first time. This test was the first to feature the latest model of the SM-3, the Block Ia. The mission was considered a success when the KW tracked, selected and intercepted the MRT reentry vehicle (RV).
FTM-10 marked the first time another country participated in a sea-based anti-ballistic missile exercise. The Japanese government was interested in purchasing a system similar to Aegis BMD to deter potential threats and was invited to participate in the FTM-10 exercise. The Japanese naval vessel JDS Kirishima
JDS Kirishima (DDG-174)
JDS Kirishima is a Kongō class guided missile destroyer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . Kirishima was named for Mount Kirishima....
(a Kongō class destroyer
Kongo class destroyer
The of guided missile destroyers serves as the core ship of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force 's Escort Flotillas. They are a modification of the United States Navy's Arleigh Burke class .-Design:...
) was stationed off the coast of PMRF
Pacific Missile Range Facility
The Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands is a U.S. Naval facility and airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Kekaha, in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States....
and observed all FTM-10 events.
FTM-11
On December 7, 2006, FTM-11 (Codename: Stellar Hunter) resulted in a mission abort. Due to an onboard error, the Aegis Weapon System failed to engage the test target and never launched the interceptor. The error was discovered and corrected prior to the retest of FTM-11 test flight. The USS Lake ErieUSS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
was the firing ship. The USS Hopper and the Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
frigate HNLMS Tromp
HNLMS Tromp (F803)
HNLMS Tromp is the second De Zeven Provinciën class frigate of the Royal Netherlands Navy. It was laid down in 1999, launched in 2001, and commissioned in 2003...
participated in the exercise.
FTM-11 retest
On April 26, 2007, Aegis BMD successfully intercepted its eighth target in ten attempts. This test marked the 27th successful "Hit-to-Kill" intercept (for all MDA systems) since 2001. The USS Lake Erie was the launching ship and utilized the Aegis 3.6 Weapon System. The interceptor was the SM-3 Block-Ia. This test not only demonstrated the ability of ABMD to intercept a ballistic missile but also demonstrated the Lake Erie's ability to simultaneously track and intercept antiship missiles. This test also utilized the Solid Divert and Attitude Control System (SDACS), in the full pulse configuration.FTM-12
On June 22, 2007, the USS Decatur, using the operationally-certified Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Weapon System (BMD 3.6) and the Standard Missile - 3 (SM-3) Block IA missile, successfully performed a "Hit To Kill" intercept of a separating, medium range, ballistic missile. The target missile was launched from the Pacific Missile Range FacilityPacific Missile Range Facility
The Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands is a U.S. Naval facility and airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Kekaha, in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States....
on Kauai, HI. The Ticonderoga-class cruiser USS Port Royal, Spain's Álvaro de Bazán class frigate
Álvaro de Bazán class frigate
The Álvaro de Bazán class are a new class of Aegis combat system-equipped air defense frigates entering service with the Spanish Navy...
MÉNDEZ NÚÑEZ (F-104), and MDA's Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense , formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is a United States Army system to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate ballistic missiles in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill approach. The missile carries no warhead but relies on the kinetic energy...
(THAAD) mobile ground-based radar also participated in the flight test. FTM-12 (Codename: Stellar Athena) was the first to use an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
Arleigh Burke class destroyer
The Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyers is the United States Navy's first class of destroyer built around the Aegis combat system and the SPY-1D multi-function phased array radar. The class is named for Admiral Arleigh "31-Knot" Burke, the most famous American destroyer officer of...
as the launching ship.
FTM-13
On November 6, 2007, the USS Lake ErieUSS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
launched two interceptors off the island of Kauai, Hawaii, engaging two short-range ballistic missile targets almost simultaneously.
JFTM-1
(Codename: Stellar KIJI)On 17 December 2007, the JDS Kongō
JDS Kongo (DDG-173)
JDS Kongō is a Kongō class guided missile destroyer in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force . Kongō is the third Japanese naval vessel named for Mount Kongō....
successfully intercepted a ballistic missile with SM-3 Block IA and Aegis System. The target was launched from Pacific Missile Range Facility. This was the first time a Japanese ship was selected to launch the interceptor missile. In previous tests Japanese ships provided tracking and communications.
FTM-14
06.06.08: At 8:13 am, (Hawaii Standard Time), the USS Lake ErieUSS Lake Erie (CG-70)
USS Lake Erie is a Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser in the United States Navy. She is named for the decisive USN victory in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812....
successfully intercepted a terminal phase target with a modified SM-2 Block IV interceptor. The aim of this mission was to test the interception and destruction of a short range ballistic missile target launched from a mobile launch platform.
Stellar Daggers
March 26, 2009 USS BenfoldUSS Benfold (DDG-65)
The USS Benfold is an Arleigh Burke class destroyer in the United States Navy. She was named for the USN Hospital Corpsman Edward Clyde Benfold. She is the first U.S...
simultaneously engaged a SRBM in terminal phase and a cruise missile using SM-2's.
JFTM-3
(Codename: Stellar RAICHO)On 27 October 2009, the JMSDF Myoko fired a SM-3 missile at a ballistic threat launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility and successfully intercepted the missile over the waters of the Pacific. This marked the second successful intercept with the Japanese Ballistic Missile Defense system.
See also
- AegisAegisAn aegis is a large collar or cape worn in ancient times to display the protection provided by a high religious authority or the holder of a protective shield signifying the same, such as a bag-like garment that contained a shield. Sometimes the garment and the shield are merged, with a small...
- Aegis Weapon SystemAegis combat systemThe Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin...
- Anti-ballistic missileAnti-ballistic missileAn anti-ballistic missile is a missile designed to counter ballistic missiles .A ballistic missile is used to deliver nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional warheads in a ballistic flight trajectory. The term "anti-ballistic missile" describes any antimissile system designed to counter...
- Atago class destroyerAtago class destroyerThe is an improved version of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force 's Kongō class destroyers. It is a Japanese variant of the United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyer ....
- Ballistic Missile Defense OrganizationBallistic Missile Defense OrganizationThe Ballistic Missile Defense Organization was an agency of the United States Department of Defense that began on 20 May 1974 with the responsibility for all U.S. ballistic missile defense efforts. It evolved from the SAFEGUARD System Organization. The original mission of BMDO was comparable to...
- Pacific Missile Range FacilityPacific Missile Range FacilityThe Pacific Missile Range Facility, Barking Sands is a U.S. Naval facility and airport located five nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Kekaha, in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States....
- Strategic Defense InitiativeStrategic Defense InitiativeThe Strategic Defense Initiative was proposed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan on March 23, 1983 to use ground and space-based systems to protect the United States from attack by strategic nuclear ballistic missiles. The initiative focused on strategic defense rather than the prior strategic...
- Ticonderoga class cruiserTiconderoga class cruiserThe Ticonderoga class of missile cruisers is a class of warships in the United States Navy, first ordered and authorized in FY 1978. The class uses phased-array radar and was originally planned as a class of destroyers...
- Vertical Launching SystemVertical Launching SystemA vertical launching system is a system for holding and firing missiles on surface ships and submarines used by many navies around the world. Each VLS system consists of a number of cells, which can hold one or more missiles ready for firing...
Boost Phase Missile Defense Systems
- YAL-1 Airborne LaserBoeing YAL-1The Boeing YAL-1 Airborne Laser Testbed, weapons system is a megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser mounted inside a modified Boeing 747-400F. It is primarily designed as a missile defense system to destroy tactical ballistic missiles , while in boost phase. The aircraft was designated...
- Kinetic Energy InterceptorKinetic Energy InterceptorThe Kinetic Energy Interceptor was a planned U.S. missile defense program whose goal was to design, develop, and deploy kinetic energy-based, mobile, ground and sea-launched missiles that could intercept and destroy enemy ballistic missiles during their boost, ascent and midcourse phases of flight...
Terminal Phase Missile Defense Systems
- Arrow missile
- Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)Terminal High Altitude Area DefenseTerminal High Altitude Area Defense , formerly Theater High Altitude Area Defense, is a United States Army system to shoot down short, medium, and intermediate ballistic missiles in their terminal phase using a hit-to-kill approach. The missile carries no warhead but relies on the kinetic energy...
- MIM-104 PatriotMIM-104 PatriotThe MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied nations. It is manufactured by the Raytheon Company of the United States. The Patriot System replaced the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary High to Medium...
missile
External links
- US Navy website
- Aegis BMD web page, U.S. Missile Defense Agency official website.
- Article and overview of Aegis BMD
- US Government analysis
- BMD fleet plans Europe defense mission, By Philip Ewing,Navy Times, Sep 30, 2009.
- U.S. Navy Juggles Ships To Fill BMD Demands, By Christopher P. Cavas, defensenews.com, January 4, 2010.
- How Many Aegis Ships To Defend NATO?, By Jeffrey Lewis, June 12 2007.
- U.S. nears key step in European defense shield against Iranian missiles, By Craig Whitlock, Washington Post, August 1, 2010.
- Turkey to Host U.S. Missile Defense, PR Newswire, Oct. 18, 2010.
- The unintended consequences of missile defense, by Ron Lipsman, American Thinker, Oct 20, 2010.
- Under the New Missile Defense Plan There Are Still Options for Assurance, John Warden, csis.org.
- Aegis upgrade for destroyers, cruisers, UPI, Aug. 6, 2010.