The United States has deployed its naval-based ballistic missile defense system in wake of a successful test of the Aegis
emergency response capability.
The Aegis, which contains the Standard
Missile-3 interceptor, destroyed a ballistic missile outside the earth's
atmosphere during a flight test over the Pacific Ocean last week.
In 2003, the United States deployed an Aegis BMD cruiser in the eastern
Mediterranean to help protect Israel on the eve of the war in Iraq, Middle East Newsline reported. The
Aegis has been selected by Australia, Japan, Korea, Norway and Spain.
Rick Lehner, a spokesman for the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, said
the SM-3 interceptor would continue to expand its presence in 2005.
The Feb. 24 mission – the fifth successful intercept for the SM-3 –
marked the first full demonstration of the Aegis BMD emergency deployment
capability. The test, which employed an operational version of the SM-3
Block I missile and Aegis BMD weapon system, also demonstrated the SM-3's
third stage rocket motor single-pulse mode.
Officials said Aegis would be installed on 18 additional U.S. Navy
destroyers.
Raytheon has designed the SM-3 interceptor to include a third-stage
rocket motor, with two pulses that could be ignited independently and expand
the area of ballistic missile engagement. Lockheed Martin has developed the
Aegis BMD weapon system.
"This successful flight test demonstrates the tactical, operational
capability of SM-3 and the Aegis BMD weapon system in real-world
conditions," Raytheon Missile Systems vice president Edward Miyashiro said.
"Aegis ballistic missile defense is for real."
The Aegis weapon system, the primary component of the sea-based element
of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System,
integrates the SPY-1 radar, the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System and the SM-3
missile with its own command and control system. Aegis capabilities have
been installed on 68 U.S. Navy cruisers and destroyers on station around the
world.
