RTX Raytheon interceptor kills Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile target.

An Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, developed by Raytheon, an RTX business, successfully destroyed an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile during a recent test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System. The test was conducted today in the Pacific region by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Northern Command.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

This was the 13th intercept for the program, which protects the U.S. by destroying incoming ballistic missiles while they are outside the Earth's atmosphere. "This test demonstrates that the U.S. ballistic missile defense system is operational, reliable, and ready to protect the country," said Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon (Picture source: Raytheon)

This was the 13th intercept for the program, which protects the U.S. by destroying incoming ballistic missiles while they are outside the Earth's atmosphere. "This test demonstrates that the U.S. ballistic missile defense system is operational, reliable, and ready to protect the country," said Wes Kremer, president of Raytheon. "Raytheon kill vehicles have now completed nearly 50 space intercepts, which underscores our expertise and ability to design and develop these systems to defeat the evolving threat."

With more than 30 years of experience in developing advanced interceptors and sensors, Raytheon is the leading provider of missile defense capabilities. This test further validates Raytheon's expertise in supporting the Missile Defense Agency's current fleet of ballistic missile defense sensors and interceptors. Raytheon is currently developing the next evolution of ballistic missile interceptors and kill vehicles that will provide warfighters with a more robust missile defense capability against current and future threats.

Raytheon's EKV is developed in Tucson, Arizona, and the AN/TPY-2 and X-Band Radar are developed in Andover, Massachusetts.

The Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle defends the United States against long-range ballistic missiles by destroying them while they are still in space. Also known as EKV, the kinetic-force weapon is the intercept component of the Ground-Based Interceptor and part of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System.

When the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System tracks a threat, it launches a Ground-Based Interceptor, which uses a three-stage solid rocket booster to fly out of Earth's atmosphere at near-hypersonic speeds. Once it has exited the atmosphere, EKV's job begins.

The Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle seeks out its target using multi-color sensors, a cutting-edge onboard computer and a rocket motor that helps it steer in space. EKV guides to the target and, with pinpoint precision, destroys the threat using nothing more than the force of a massive collision. No traditional warhead is necessary.

Defense News December 2023