SM-3 Block IB Successfully Intercepts Ballistic Missile Target

PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE FACILITY, Hawaii (NNS) -- The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Sailors of USS Lake Erie (CG 70) successfully conducted a flight test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system June 26.

The test resulted in the intercept of a separating ballistic missile target over the Pacific Ocean by the Navy's newest missile defense interceptor missile, the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block 1B.

At 11:15 pm Hawaii Standard Time (5:15 am EDT June 27), the target missile was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, located on Kauai, Hawaii. The target flew on a northwesterly trajectory towards a broad ocean area of the Pacific Ocean. Following target launch, USS Lake Erie detected and tracked the missile with its onboard AN/SPY-1 radar. The ship, equipped with the second-generation Aegis BMD 4.0.1 weapon system, developed a fire control solution and launched the SM-3 Block IB missile.

Lake Erie continued to track the target and sent trajectory information to the SM-3 Block IB missile in-flight. The SM-3 maneuvered to a point in space, as designated by the fire control solution, and released its kinetic warhead. The kinetic warhead acquired the target, diverted into its path, and, using only the force of a direct impact, engaged and destroyed the threat in a hit-to-kill intercept.

This thing really does seem to work! It really was a good modular design, where they got the dimensions,propulsion, and launch infrastructure standardized, and then they made it smarter and smarter.

I still don’t understand why the Rooskies are so upset about these. We don’t have nearly enough of them to get all of their weapons; their newest missiles have countermeasures that may be very difficult or even impossible to surmount; and they darned well know this.

This thing really does seem to work! It really was a good modular design, where they got the dimensions,propulsion, and launch infrastructure standardized, and then they made it smarter and smarter. I still don’t understand why the Rooskies are so upset about these. We don’t have nearly enough of them to get all of their weapons; their newest missiles have countermeasures that may be very difficult or even impossible to surmount; and they darned well know this.

They are upset because of what you said in your first paragraph. Because it is an extremely capable weapon that keeps getting better and better. Because it is better than anything they have (their current analogue to the advanced Standard is the S-300, since the S-400 is still in testing phases, and while the S-300 is a very capable missile in the anti-air area, and can do some ABM work in a limited manner, it is not like the modernized Standards). But most importantly because they can complain.

Now imagine the future evolution potential of the Standard missile (and of its support, e.g. AEGIS). I am sure the thought of an active homing Standard coupled to an AESA rather than PESA AEGIS must make some people quite troubled.

The Standard family is a weapon system that is not only extremely good, but will continue to get better. Examples from other nations (such as the Aster-30 from Britain/France/Italy and the Russian naval-variant S-300) may claim certain advantages in some areas (e.g. terminal active radar homing for Aster), but overall Standard is still number one and with continued development will keep that position. As another poster said Reagan would be proud.

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