A Raytheon Company Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) landed a knock-out punch to a
ballistic missile in space during an Aegis BMD Program flight test off the
Hawaiian coast. The SM-3 is part of the Lockheed Martin-developed Aegis
Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system.
The Dec. 11 mission, designated Flight Mission-6 (FM-6), was the fourth
successful hit-to-kill intercept for the Missile Defense Agency’s Aegis BMD
program.
As in the previous flight tests, the SM-3 was launched from the Aegis BMD
cruiser USS LAKE ERIE (CG70) and shortly thereafter hit the ARIES target that
had been launched from the Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai. The
kinetic warhead (KW) properly selected, guided to and impacted the reactive
payload section of the target. This test used the new monolithic solid divert
and attitude control system (SDACS) in sustain mode, the baseline
configuration for the initial deployment round missiles.
“Our success with FM-6 illustrates our SM-3 team’s dedication and
commitment to developing, demonstrating and deploying an effective missile
defense system. We are pleased to be part of making this program a success for
our customer and to demonstrate this defensive capability for our country,”
said Louise L. Francesconi, president of Raytheon Missile Systems.
The test continues to demonstrate Raytheon’s “hit-to-kill” missile defense
capabilities. In all, Raytheon systems have successfully intercepted nine
targets in space. (See note to editors.) Raytheon’s Missile Systems business
in Tucson, Ariz., which is developing SM-3, also is developing the
Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle for MDA’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense program.
A Raytheon-Northrop Grumman team was selected last week to develop the
Kinetic Energy Interceptors program for the boost phase element of the MDA’s
global layered missile defense system.
Raytheon is leading the SM-3 integrated team effort, supported by Alliant
Techsystems and the Boeing Company, which are providing major subsystems.
Standard Missile-2 (SM-2), the air and cruise missile defense version of
Standard Missile, is currently at sea in more than 65 U.S. Aegis cruisers and
destroyers, with more than 20 additional ships in production or planned.
Standard Missile also is in operation with more than 13 international navies
around the world.
Raytheon Company , with 2002 sales of $16.8 billion, is an
industry leader in defense, government and commercial electronics, space,
information technology, technical services, and business and special mission
aircraft. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs more than
76,000 people worldwide.
Note to editors: Raytheon’s hit-to-kill successes include intercepts with
sea-based SM-3 on Jan. 25, June 13 and Nov. 21, 2002.
Successful interceptions with the company’s Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle,
part of MDA’s Ground-based Midcourse Defense program, occurred on Oct. 2,
1999; July 14 and Dec. 3, 2001; and March 15 and Oct. 14, 2002.