Thursday's successful Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense
intercept test was due, in part, to the critical
engineering and technical direction provided by the
Applied Physics
Laboratory. This milestone event marks the first
demonstration of the Aegis BMD weapon system BMD 3.0 and
the Standard Missile-3 Block I. As a result of this
successful test, Aegis BMD capability is technically ready
to respond to short-notice operational tasking to support
contingency ballistic missile defense operations, if
required.
This flight test of the Block 2004 Aegis BMD system,
Flight Test Mission 04-1, involved an SM-3 Block I missile
fired from the Aegis BMD cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70)
against a target launched from the Pacific Missile Range
Facility, resulting in a hit-to-kill intercept. This was
the fifth successful intercept out of six attempts for the
Aegis BMD Program. The test also helped evaluate the
overall performance and effectiveness of the weapon control
system that guides and controls the SM-3 missile to its
target.
The flight test was one of a three-part
campaign--referred to as Stellar Dragon--by the Missile
Defense Agency and the Navy to verify the Aegis BMD weapon
system's performance in an operationally realistic,
scenario-driven environment. Additional elements within
this campaign include a ballistic missile tracking exercise
and an at-sea demonstration of ship self-defense
capabilities.
"Today's successful intercept is reflective of APL's
critical role in contributing to our nation's security and
in helping provide war fighters with a capability to
protect them and our allies against a growing ballistic
missile threat," said Conrad Grant, business area executive
for APL's air and missile defense programs, following the
Feb. 24 test. "The Laboratory has played a major role in
the Aegis and Standard Missile programs since their
inception nearly a half century ago, and we look forward to
continuing our efforts to provide the military community
with solutions to critical challenges it may face."
As technical direction agent for both SM-3 and Aegis
BMD programs, APL plays a key role in flight tests,
including FTM 04-1. In preparation for these events, APL
performs preflight predictions of the Aegis BMD system's
performance using high-fidelity simulations of the AN/SPY-1
radar, as well as the SM-3 missile. Actual missile computer
programs are tested in labs on the APL campus. Laboratory
teams simulate hundreds of missile flights before each
flight test to ensure robust missile performance.
Additionally, APL defines mission requirements;
establishes test scenarios, including identifying locations
for air-, ground- and sea-based units; conducts debris
analysis for range safety; and determines acceptable launch
windows to avoid orbiting satellites. In the field on test
day, APL technical experts support the Raytheon SM-3 launch
team and man test-control consoles at the Pacific Missile
Range Facility to support the target instrumentation and
operations.
Following each flight, APL performs a post-flight
reconstruction of the mission and analyzes the flight test
data to update and validate the radar and
six-degree-of-freedom performance simulations, and
participates in any post-flight investigations associated
with the tests. APL works with the larger Aegis BMD
community, including Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and
Sensors, and Raytheon Missile Systems, to engineer any
necessary system modifications to fulfill the Aegis BMD
mission. APL representatives are among the leaders in the
joint community for link communications systems connecting
Aegis ships and other sea-, space- and ground-based
assets.
MDA and the Navy manage the Aegis BMD Program.
Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Ariz., is the prime
contractor for the development of the SM-3 missile.
Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors, Moorestown,
N.J., manages the development of the Aegis Weapon System
installed in Aegis cruisers and destroyers.
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