U.S. Missile Defense Agency successfully conducted flight test medium-range ballistic missile target 12005162

Defence & Security News - United States
 
U.S. Missile Defense Agency successfully conducted flight test medium-range ballistic missile target
The Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Pacific Command, and U.S. Navy sailors aboard USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) successfully conducted a flight test involving the launch of a medium-range ballistic missile target from the Pacific Missile Range Facility located on Kauai, Hawaii.
     
The Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Pacific Command, and U.S. Navy sailors aboard USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) successfully conducted a flight test involving the launch of a medium-range ballistic missile target from the Pacific Missile Range Facility located on Kauai, Hawaii. FTX-21 flight test mission overview poster
     

At approximately 9:02 p.m. (Hawaii Standard Time, May 17; 3:02 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 18) the target was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility. John Paul Jones, positioned west of Hawaii, detected and tracked the target missile with its onboard AN/SPY-1 radar using the Aegis Baseline 9.C1 Weapon System. This was a non-intercept test, and the ship did not launch any rounds during this engagement.

The flight test, designated Flight Test Other-21 (FTX-21), successfully demonstrated the ability of an Aegis Baseline 9.C1 (BMD 5.0 Capability Upgrade) configured ship to detect and track a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) target within the Earth's atmosphere.

Program officials will evaluate system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test. The MDA will use test results to improve and enhance the Ballistic Missile Defense System. The MDA and the U.S. Navy cooperatively manage the Aegis BMD program.

Missile defense technology being developed, tested and deployed by the United States is designed to counter ballistic missiles of all ranges—short, medium, intermediate and long. Since ballistic missiles have different ranges, speeds, size and performance characteristics, the Ballistic Missile Defense System is an integrated, "layered" architecture that provides multiple opportunities to destroy missiles and their warheads before they can reach their targets.

Missile defense elements are operated by United States military personnel from U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. Forces Japan, U.S. European Command and others. The United States has missile defense cooperative programs with a number of allies, including United Kingdom, Japan, Australia, Israel, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Poland, Italy and many others. The Missile Defense Agency also actively participates in NATO activities to maximize opportunities to develop an integrated NATO ballistic missile defense capability.