Raytheon, Lockheed Systems Perform To Task

In a first-of-its-kind dual missile defense test, on Tuesday two Raytheon Company-built Standard Missile-3s, fired from a US Navy ship, simultaneously intercepted and destroyed two short-range ballistic missile targets in space.

Raytheon says this was the first time a Navy ship demonstrated simultaneous engagements against ballistic missile targets outside the earth's atmosphere. These were the 10th and 11th successful intercepts for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense weapon system's SM-3.

The crew of the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70) fired both SM-3 Block IA intercepting missiles. The Lake Erie is an Aegis BMD cruiser equipped with the latest US Navy-certified version of the Aegis BMD Weapon System (Aegis BMD 3.6), built by Lockheed Martin.

Personnel at the Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai launched the ballistic missile targets. The Japanese guided missile destroyer JS Kongo also participated in the test to detect, track and conduct a simulated engagement of the ballistic missile targets using its newly-installed Aegis BMD Weapon System.

"These successful intercepts add to SM-3's impressive flight test record and are a clear demonstration of Raytheon's commitment to Mission Assurance," said Frank Wyatt, Raytheon's vice president of Naval Weapon Systems. "SM-3 plays a vital role in protecting our nation against the threat of ballistic missiles."

SM-3 is being developed as part of the Missile Defense Agency's sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System. The missiles will be deployed on Aegis cruisers and destroyers to defend against short-to-intermediate range ballistic missile threats in the midcourse phase of flight. Raytheon also is developing the kinetic warhead for SM-3.

"With two targets engaged simultaneously, both the system and crew are under additional stress and today they performed flawlessly," said Orlando Carvalho, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin's Surface-Sea Based Missile Defense line of business.

"With Aegis, we build a little, test a little and learn a lot," Carvalho added. "Today's test is the twelfth planned flight mission to methodically and incrementally fully verify the Aegis BMD capability. It is this rigorous engineering and test philosophy that is giving our nation's Ballistic Missile Defense System the edge it needs to deter and defeat ballistic missile threats."

FMI: www.raytheon.com, www.lockheed.com