The Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy sailors manning the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kaua‘i successfully tracked and intercepted an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile target with an Aegis Ashore-launched Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA interceptor.
The SM-3 Block IIA was launched from the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex at Kauaʻi’s Pacific Missile Range Facility during the Flight Test Integrated-03 (FTI-03).
The exercise was an operational live-fire test demonstrating the capability to track and intercept an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile target with a shore-launched interceptor.
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The flight test consisted of an IRBM target, air-launched by a US Air Force C-17 from the broad ocean area thousands of miles southwest of the Aegis Ashore Test site.
“Today’s successful flight test demonstrated the effectiveness of the European Phased Adaptive Approach Phase 3 architecture,” said MDA Director Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves. “It also was of great significance to the future of multi-domain missile defense operations and supports a critical initial production acquisition milestone for the SM-3 Block IIA missile program. This system is designed to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends from a real and growing ballistic missile threat.”
Based on preliminary data, the test met its objective, and program officials will continue to evaluate system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test.
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Additional information about all elements of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System can be found online.
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