USS JOHN PAUL JONES, Feb. 6, 2017
/PRNewswire/ -- The USS JOHN PAUL JONES, supported by the U.S.
Navy, Missile Defense Agency and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), used
the latest evolution of its Aegis Combat System to detect, track,
engage and launch a missile to intercept a Medium Range Ballistic
Missile target.
This exercise marked the first shipboard demonstration of the
Aegis Baseline 9.2 (BMD 5.1)
Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) tracking and engagement
capabilities against more complex threats with increased battle
space in support of the U.S. Phased Adaptive Approach to protect
Europe from ballistic missile
attack.
The test, called Standard Missile-3 Block IIA Cooperative
Development Flight Test Maritime – 1 (SFTM-1), demonstrated the
integrated capabilities of the Aegis Weapon System and how it has
continually evolved to counter advanced threats. SFTM-1 is a
development test that supports BMD
5.1 certification expected in 2018.
"Aegis continues to help sailors pace the threat thanks to
upgrades we call baselines that leverage our extensive Common
Source Library. With each baseline, Lockheed Martin brings advanced
missile defense capabilities and enhanced integration with other
systems external to the ship," said Paul
Klammer, director, Aegis BMD. "This exercise included a
series of tests to verify the operation of the BMD 5.1 Aegis Weapon System on board ship. We're
proud of the Navy and Missile Defense Agency working together with
our Lockheed Martin engineers to make this complicated test a
success."
BMD 5.1 is the third generation of
Aegis BMD capability and delivering the program to the Navy and the
Missile Defense Agency is critical. Under this baseline
configuration, Aegis merges BMD and anti-air warfare into its
Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) capability using
commercial-off-the-shelf and open architecture technologies.
This test builds upon joint research investments by the United States and Japan. Lockheed Martin is developing a
Baseline 9/BMD 5.1 variant computer
program, referred to as J7, for deployment on Japan's Aegis
destroyers.
This test also builds on prior Baseline 9 successes, when Aegis
demonstrated its advanced IAMD capabilities and was certified by
the Navy and Missile Defense Agency. As the targets and threats
have become more advanced, Aegis BMD has evolved over the last 20
years from a tracking experiment to today's capability in which it
can detect, track and engage targets.
The central component of the Lockheed Martin-developed Aegis BMD
Combat System is the SPY-1 radar; the most widely-fielded naval
phased array radar in the world. The Aegis system and SPY-1 radar
provide the U.S. and allied nations with advanced surveillance,
anti-air warfare and missile defense capabilities.
As a proven world leader in systems integration and development
of air and missile defense systems and technologies, Lockheed
Martin delivers high-quality missile defense solutions that protect
citizens, critical assets and deployed forces from current and
future threats. The company's experience spans missile design and
production, hit-to-kill capabilities, infrared seekers, command and
control/battle management, and communications, precision pointing
and tracking optics, radar and signal processing, as well as
threat-representative targets for missile defense tests.
For additional information, visit our website:
www.lockheedmartin.com/us/products/aegis/evolutionary-design.html#bmd
About Lockheed Martin
Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a
global security and aerospace company that employs approximately
97,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research,
design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of
advanced technology systems, products and services.
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SOURCE Lockheed Martin