Missile Defense

Missile Defense Watch: Another Successful Aegis System Intercept

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SM-2 Launch June 5, 2008

Yesterday there was another successful test of the sea-based missile defense sytem.

Air Force Lieutenant General Henry “Trey” Obering III, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) director, announced the successful completion of the latest flight test of the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) element, conducted jointly with the U.S. Navy off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii. The event, designated as Flight Test Maritime-14 (FTM-14), marked the fourteenth overall successful intercept, in sixteen attempts, for the Aegis BMD program and the second successful intercept of a terminal phase (last few seconds of flight) target by a modified Standard Missile – 2 Block IV (SM-2 Blk IV) interceptor. The mission was completed by the cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70), using the tactically-certified Aegis BMD shipboard weapon system, modified for a terminal capability, and the modified SM-2 Blk IV. This is the 35th successful terminal and midcourse defense intercept in 43 tests since 2001.

Aegis BMD is the sea-based mid-course component of the MDA’s Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) and is designed to intercept and destroy short to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats. In 2006, the program’s role was expanded to include a sea-based terminal defense effort, using a modified version of the SM-2 Blk IV. Unlike other missile defense technologies now deployed or in development, the SM-2 Blk IV does not use “hit to kill” technology (directly colliding with the target) to destroy the target missile. Rather, it uses a blast fragmentation device that explodes in direct proximity to the target to complete the intercept and destroy the target.

Congratulations to the Missile Defense Agency for another successful test of the Aegis BMD system.

Does anyone see the direct application of this sytem?

How about parking the USS Lake Erie off the coast of Israel(against Syria or Iran)in the Persian Gulf (against Iran or Syria) or Japan (against North Korea).

And, to think that there are members of the United States Senate, namely Sentors Levin, Kerry, Kennedy and Biden who ridiculed the Reagan and the two Bush Administrations for researching and deploying this system.

Amazing and WRONG short-sightedness.

ramirezjune222006web

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