Missile Defense Radar Site Chosen | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-07.07.25

Airborne-NextGen-07.08.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.09.25

Airborne-FlightTraining-07.10.25

AirborneUnlimited-07.11.25

Sat, Aug 16, 2003

Missile Defense Radar Site Chosen

Hello, Adak.

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) announced today that it has selected Adak (AK), as the Primary Support Base (PSB) for the Sea-Based X-Band (SBX) radar.  The PSB includes a mooring site and minimum logistics support for the SBX.  The SBX is a part of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, a missile defense system designed to intercept and destroy long-range ballistic missiles aimed at the US homeland.

The selection of Adak is contained in the Record of Decision signed by MDA director Lt. Gen. Ronald T. Kadish, as part of the recently completed GMD extended test range final environmental impact statement (FEIS).  The FEIS analyzed the impacts of the proposed action and alternatives to establish an extended test range capability to provide more realistic flight-testing of the GMD system.  The FEIS examined development of the capability for single and dual launches of interceptor and target missiles and supporting infrastructure at various locations in the Pacific.

Besides Adak, five other locations were considered:  Naval Base Ventura County (CA); Naval Station Everett, (WA); Reagan Test Site, Kwajalein Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands; Port of Valdez, (AK) and Naval Station Pearl Harbor (HI).  The selection of Adak was the result of extensive analysis of numerous factors relating to operations, support and sustainability, including easy access to potential operating areas and available support infrastructure.

The SBX vessel, a self-propelled semi-submersible modified oil-drilling platform, will be modified and payloads installed at shipyards in Brownsville and Corpus Christi, Texas, and is scheduled to begin supporting GMD operations in 2005.  The SBX will provide detailed ballistic missile tracking information to the GMD system, as well as advanced target and countermeasures discrimination capability for the GMD interceptor missiles.  The ability of the SBX to deploy to operating locations under its own power allows it to support actual GMD operations as well as realistic testing.  The SBX is approximately 390 feet long and 250 feet high, and has a displacement of 50,000 tons.

FMI: www.dod.mil

Advertisement

More News

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (07.11.25)

“Honored to accept this mission. Time to take over space. Let’s launch.” Source: SecTrans Sean Duffy commenting after President Donald Trump appointed U.S. Secret>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (07.11.25): Permanent Echo

Permanent Echo Radar signals reflected from fixed objects on the earth's surface; e.g., buildings, towers, terrain. Permanent echoes are distinguished from “ground clutter&rd>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (07.11.25)

Aero Linx: European Hang Gliding and Paragliding Union (EHPU) The general aim of the EHPU is to promote and protect hang gliding and paragliding in Europe. In order to achieve this>[...]

NTSB Final Report: Schweizer SGS 2-33A

Glider Encountered A Loss Of Lift And There Was Not Sufficient Altitude To Reach The Airport Analysis: The flight instructor reported that while turning final, the glider encounter>[...]

NTSB Prelim: Aeronca 7AC

Airplane Climbed To 100 Ft Above Ground Level, At Which Time The Airplane Experienced A Total Loss Of Engine Power On May 24, 2025, at 1300 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 7AC, N>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC