[MilCom] Target Missile Intercepted Over the Pacific Ocean During Missile Defense Exercise

[ric5]

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IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. NR-331-14
June 22, 2014
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Target Missile Intercepted Over the Pacific Ocean During Missile Defense
Exercise

The Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Air Force 30th Space Wing, the Joint
Functional Component Command, Integrated Missile Defense, U.S. Northern
Command and the U.S. Navy completed an integrated exercise of the
Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the nation's Ballistic
Missile Defense System (BMDS). During the test today, a long-range
ground-based interceptor launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base,
California, intercepted an intermediate-range ballistic missile target
launched from the U.S. Army's Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the
Republic of the Marshall Islands.
The test, designated Flight Test Ground-Based Interceptor-06b (FTG-06b),
will provide the data necessary to assess the performance of numerous BMDS
elements for homeland defense.
Navy Vice Adm. James D. Syring, Missile Defense Agency director, said, "I am
very proud of the government and industry team conducting the test today.
Their professionalism and dedication made this test a success."
He added, "This is a very important step in our continuing efforts to
improve and increase the reliability of our homeland ballistic missile
defense system. We'll continue efforts to ensure our deployed Ground-based
Interceptors and our overall homeland defensive architecture continue to
provide the warfighter an effective and dependable system to defend the
country."
For this exercise, a threat-representative, intermediate-range ballistic
missile target was launched from the Reagan Test Site. The U.S. Navy
destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70), with its Aegis Weapon System, detected and
tracked the target using its onboard AN/SPY-1 radar, which provided data to
the GMD fire control system via the Command, Control, Battle Management and
Communication (C2BMC) system. The Sea-Based X-Band radar also tracked the
target, and relayed information to the GMD fire control system to assist in
the target engagement and collect test data.
About six minutes after target launch, the Ground-Based Interceptor was
launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base. A three-stage booster rocket system
propelled the interceptor's Capability Enhancement II EKV into the target
missile's projected trajectory in space. The kill vehicle maneuvered to the
target, performed discrimination, and intercepted the threat warhead with
"hit to kill" technology, using only the force of the direct collision
between the interceptor and the target to destroy the target warhead. This
was the first intercept using the second- generation Exoatmospheric Kill
Vehicle.
An operational crew of U.S. Army soldiers from the 100th Missile Defense
Brigade, located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, remotely launched
the interceptor.
Initial indications are that all components performed as designed. Program
officials will spend the next several months conducting an extensive
assessment and evaluation of system performance based upon telemetry and
other data obtained during the test.
The test was the 65th successful hit-to-kill intercept of 81 attempts since
2001 for the Ballistic Missile Defense System. The GMD element of the system
has completed four intercepts using the operationally configured interceptor
since 2006. Operational Ground-Based Interceptors are currently deployed at
Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, protecting the nation,
our friends, and allies against a limited long-range ballistic missile
attack.

Rick FM14ab KILM/ACZ