Successful Aegis Missile Intercept

[BigRob]

During this event, entitled Stellar Avenger, the Aegis BMD-equipped ship, USS Hopper (DDG 70), detected, tracked, fired and guided a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block (Blk) IA to intercept a sub-scale short range ballistic missile. The target was launched from the Kauai Test Facility, co-located on the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sands, Kauai. It was the 19th successful intercept in 23 at-sea firings, for the Aegis BMD Program, including the February 2008 destruction of the malfunctioning satellite above the earth's atmosphere.

Additionally, this is good news because it takes steps forward for the RIM-161 SM-3 Block IIA program as well. This missile is being made in conjunction with Japan and will increase the operating range and targeting ability of the Aegis ships.

Given that we seem to be shying away from GMD systems, it is becoming more vital that the Aegis system be capable of providing a reliable missile shield to the United States and its allies. This test is a step in the right direction.

 

[Pandora]

Wow this is good news. I thought we gave up on all that war, bomb defense stuff.

Good to know we are still doing things and making progress.

 

[BigRob]

Wow this is good news. I thought we gave up on all that war, bomb defense stuff.

Good to know we are still doing things and making progress.

No, we cut some GMD programs, the MKV, the ABL, and a few others, but Aegis has kept going strong. (more or less)