Aegis BMD conducts first salvo test

The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system conducted their first salvo firing test. The fired at "the most complex target to date", using two SM-3 Block IB missiles.

The USS Lake Eerie had no idea when the missile would be launched, to make the test more realistic. They developed a firing control solution, and fired the first missile. The second was launched 2 minutes later, and was programmed to fly through the debris field if the first missile hit the target (which it did). The Lake Eerie uses a second generation BMD system, with SM-3 Block IB missiles, which use a two color IR seeker, and more sophisticated divert and attitude control systems. The SPY-1D on the Lake Eerie uses BMD 4.0 software.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has achieved its first-ever salvo test of the SM-3 Block IB missile, and the intercept took place at the highest altitude for the system to date.

The first SM-3 IB that was launched successfully intercepted the target, a short-range ballistic missile described as the “one of the most complex targets that we have shot to date,” says Mitch Stevison, Raytheon’s SM-3 program manager. The target was an Aegis Readiness Assessment Vehicle-C, Developed by Kratos, Port Hueneme NSWC, MDA.

The second SM-3 IB was launched about 2 min. after the first in accordance with military doctrine for assured kill. The missile was set to intercept the target if the first SM-3 IB did not. Since the first missile executed the intercept, the second missile flew a profile through the debris field that it was preprogrammed to fly.

The target was detected by the Aegis system’s SPY-1 radar on the USS Lake Erie cruiser, which also fired the missiles. The ship employed the Aegis BMD 4.0 Weapon System; the SM-3 Block IB includes a two-color infrared seeker and more sophisticated divert-and-attitude-control system, improvements over the IA version.

The ship, equipped with the second-generation Aegis BMD weapon system, developed a fire control solution and launched two SM-3 Block IB guided missiles to engage the target. This latest version of the second-generation Aegis BMD Weapon System is capable of engaging longer range and more sophisticated ballistic missiles.

Source

This is a pretty amazing weapons system, I don't think most people realise just how far ahead of the curve this puts the US fleet when it comes to intercepting and destroying threats.

I'm sure the timing has nothing at all to do with making it quite clear to Syria that their fancy Russian anti ship missiles will do absolutely nothing for them.

Painterz
This is a pretty amazing weapons system, I don't think most people realise just how far ahead of the curve this puts the US fleet when it comes to intercepting and destroying threats.

I'm sure the timing has nothing at all to do with making it quite clear to Syria that their fancy Russian anti ship missiles will do absolutely nothing for them.

Just wait until carriers and possibly other nuclear powered vessels use FEL (free electron laser) anti-missile systems.

www.lanl.gov...

www.foxnews.com...

The original plan was to install them on all new carriers starting with the Gerald R. Ford and J.F.K., and they would also be put on all Aegis Cruisers. With the budget cuts not sure what is going on now though.

reply to post by Zaphod58


I love this kind of news. Now they just need to get all our destroyers outfitted with these baby's. I would feel real safe at night if they had one parked off Tampa to protect McDill and the surrounding area.

Patriotsrevenge
reply to post by Zaphod58

 

I love this kind of news. Now they just need to get all our destroyers outfitted with these baby's. I would feel real safe at night if they had one parked off Tampa to protect McDill and the surrounding area.

It's a nitpick, but these will never be on destroyers, they will be on cruisers. Otherweise, yes, I'll take two please, and a carrier group

reply to post by OccamsRazor04


I hate to nitpick, but it's on a bunch of destroyers already. The plan was for 38 Burke destroyers to be upgraded by FY15. The Hopper was outfitted with the system in 2009, and was one of the first to get it. A total of 21 destroyers have been outfitted as of April of this year.

Zaphod58
reply to post by OccamsRazor04

 

I hate to nitpick, but it's on a bunch of destroyers already. The plan was for 38 Burke destroyers to be upgraded by FY15. The Hopper was outfitted with the system in 2009, and was one of the first to get it. A total of 21 destroyers have been outfitted as of April of this year.

edit on 9/23/2013 by Zaphod58 because: (no reason given)

Nitpick away, how else am I to learn. I was unaware any destroyers currently had it. You gave me something to read up on tonight.

reply to post by OccamsRazor04



Some of the Missile Defense Agency papers make for interesting reading. Really technical, so if you don't have some kind of background or knowledge of the systems they take awhile to get through, and google will be a good friend.

Zaphod58
reply to post by OccamsRazor04

 

Some of the Missile Defense Agency papers make for interesting reading. Really technical, so if you don't have some kind of background or knowledge of the systems they take awhile to get through, and google will be a good friend.

Yes tell me about it. Usually I wait for the watered down version and look for several different sources as journalists have a knack for completely butchering anything scientific/technical.

FTM-22 successfully intercepted a medium range missile launched from Barking Sands on October 3rd. It's the fifth straight successful intercept for the SM-3 Block IB and Aegis BMD 4.0, and the 28th in 34 tests for the entire system.

reply to post by Zaphod58


Is that 28/34 using the standard 2 shots? Or just 1?

reply to post by OccamsRazor04


They've only fired two in one test.

Painterz
This is a pretty amazing weapons system, I don't think most people realise just how far ahead of the curve this puts the US fleet when it comes to intercepting and destroying threats.

I'm sure the timing has nothing at all to do with making it quite clear to Syria that their fancy Russian anti ship missiles will do absolutely nothing for them.

This was really aimed at the north Koreans who are actively seeking missile to hit the US. Next time they test fire we should just shoot it down. To show them how futile their efforts are. Reason i say it is definitely for them is they, like Iran, have actually said they would like to hit us with missiles.

Syria, well our standing tech is more than capable of handling everything Syria could throw at us., no problem. Lol

The Bot

Zaphod58
reply to post by OccamsRazor04

 

They've only fired two in one test.

Then those are very good odds.

How fast were the targets moving? That's the real question.

Short-range missile = slow
Intermediate-range missile = medium fast
Intercontinental-range missile = stupendously fast

reply to post by mbkennel


The BMD system isn't designed for ICBM targets, but for MRBM, TRBM, and SRBM targets. The only system designed for ICBMs is the Ground Based Midcourse Interceptor system, that only has about a 50% success rate.