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The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Weapon System with the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) successfully intercepted a ballistic missile target outside the earth's atmosphere during its descent phase of flight test last Thursday. The weapon system, aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG70), and range sensors confirmed a direct hit of the missile target over the Pacific Ocean. Computer Sciences Corporation develops the Aegis BMD Weapon System software as Lockheed Martin's key team member. Raytheon develops the SM-3. In addition to the USS Lake Erie, the guided missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59) participated in today's test. A new Aegis BMD Signal Processor (Aegis BSP) installed on the destroyer conducted real-time detection, tracking and discrimination of the target, as well as analysis of target interception. This is the first time the Aegis BSP was used in an at-sea flight test mission. This test, Flight Test Mission 04-1, marks the fifth time the CSC Aegis BMD Weapon System software successfully guided the SM-3 to a ballistic missile target intercept. The test was sponsored by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). "This is tangible evidence of the engineering excellence that is bringing missile defense capability to the nation through the MDA and the U.S. Navy," said Aaron Fuller, president of CSC's Defense Mission Engineering and Integration Division. "The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense team continues to complete each milestone. The surveillance, tracking and fire control capability of the Aegis BMD Weapon System is making missile defense real." The Aegis Weapon System is the world's premier naval surface defense system and is the basis for Aegis BMD, the primary component of the sea-based element of the United States' Ballistic Missile Defense System. The Aegis BMD Weapon System seamlessly integrates the SPY-1 radar, the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System and the SM-3 missile with its own command and control system. It is capable of simultaneous operation defending against advanced air, surface, subsurface and ballistic missile threats. Currently, Aegis Weapons System capabilities are on 68 U.S. Navy cruisers and destroyers on station around the world. Plans are currently underway to install the system on an additional 18 U.S. Navy destroyers. In addition to the U.S., Aegis is the weapon system of choice for Japan, Korea, Norway and Spain. Recently Australia selected Aegis for its new Air Warfare Destroyer program. Related Links SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express 
ABM Pullout: The Phonecall That Soured Putin's Year. Or Did It
Moscow (AFP) Dec 25, 2001A brief telephone call over a secret line was all it took for US President George W. Bush to inform Russian leader Vladimir Putin that he could forget all his protests about the post-Cold War order. |
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