Orbital Test Launches Missile Target
August 8, 2005 :: Orbital Sciences Corporation :: News
The Orbital corporation today announced the successful launch of a medium-range target missile as part of a series of tests useful for the development of missile defenses, namely the Missile Defense Agency’s Critical Measurements and Countermeasures Program, Campaign 1 (CMCM-1). Orbital tested the medium-range Castor IVB(R) target vehicle from the Kauai Test Facility at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on August 4.
That the target missile is medium range suggests it might be of the sort used for tests of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program, as opposed to the long range GMD interceptors based in Alaska and California. (Article, Link)
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KEI Missile Undergoes Wind-Tunnel Tests in Missouri
July 29, 2005 :: Jane's Information Group :: News
The Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) recently underwent a series of high-speed wind-tunnel tests in St. Louis, Missouri, reports Jane’s Missiles & Rockets. The tests were intended to acquire data on the interceptor’s aerodynamics, high-frequency pressure, and acoustics, which will be used to select the proper nose shape for the KEI.
The KEI is the planned boost-phase interceptor component of the U.S. layered ballistic missile defense system. (Link)
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» Missile system details for: Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI)
Minuteman Test from Vandenberg
July 21, 2005 :: AP :: News
The U.S. successfully test-launched a Minuteman III ballistic missile on July 21. The missile’s dummy warhead was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, and traveled more than 4,000 miles in 30 minutes, finally striking a pre-determined target at the Reagan Test Site in the Marshall Islands.
The Minuteman III is an intercontinental-range, silo-based, solid propellant ballistic missile system, with a range of 13,000 km. (Article, Link)
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» Missile details: Minuteman I
» Missile system details for: Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS), Vandenberg Air Force Base
Sea-Based Missile Defense Intercept Successful
February 24, 2005 :: The Missile Defense Agency :: News
The Missile Defense Agency again today tested the Aegis ballistic missile interceptor system, with the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) interceptor successfully destroying a mock enemy missile. The test is the fifth of six tests to have been successful.
The target missile was launched yesterday afternoon from the island of Kauai, of Hawaii. The SM-3 interceptor was subsequently launched from the U.S.S. Lake Erie, some 100 miles from the island, and the hit-to-kill intercept took place minutes later. The U.S.S. Russell and an airborne sensor both participated in the test for the development of future tracking programs. The SM-3 interceptors are scheduled to be deployed on Aegis ships later this year. (Article, Link)
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» Missile system details for: Aegis Ship-Based BMD
Missile Defense Test Failure
February 14, 2005 :: LA Times :: News
Today the Missile Defense Agency attempted to repeat the December 15 test of the ground based midcourse missile defense system. The December 15 test attempt did not take place when the interceptor shut down in its silo rather than launching, due to a software error. The interceptor did not launch again in today’s test.
MDA spokesman Rick Lehner is quoted as saying that today’s failure was under investigation, but that there were indications that the malfunction was the ground support equipment at the test range on Kwajalein Island, and not with the interceptor missile itself. “The interceptor itself is fine and will be used for other tests,” said Lehner, “We’ll just keep trying, keep testing and hopefully we’ll be able to do another interceptor test in the next few months, using the same interceptor.”
The target missile, a mock-ICBM, was fired early Monday morning from Kodiak Island, Alaska. The interceptor which did not launch was located at the Ronald Reagan Test Site on the Kwajalein atoll in the Pacific.
Today’s failure represents another setback for the system, and demonstrates the need for further testing, but by no means does it indicate any less of a need for a missile defense. (Article, Link)
» MDA statement on test failure
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» Missile system details for: Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI), Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS)
Pathfinder Missile for THAAD System
February 9, 2005 :: The Missile Defense Agency :: News
The Missile Defense Agency reports an announcement by MDA head, Lieutenant General Henry “Trey” Obering, concerning the completion of a “pathfinder” missile used to verify various systems in the production of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. According to the MDA press release, “operations for assembling the first of 30 THAAD production missiles began earlier this month,” and THAAD is said to be scheduled for deployment by the Army in 2008. (Article, Link)
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» Missile system details for: Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)
Patriot Test Successful
February 8, 2005 :: Raytheon :: News
Raytheon recently conducted a successful test of two Patriot GEM-T missiles at White Sands Missile Range, in New Mexico. The test of the missiles had two interceptors target two low-flying target drones, both of which were destroyed. Raytheon is contracted to upgrade 376 current Patriot PAC-2 missiles to the more advanced “GEM-2” configuration, some 230 of which are already complete. (Article, Link)
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» Missile system details for: Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3)
MDA Report on IFT-13c; New Test Attempt Scheduled
January 24, 2005 :: The Missile Defense Agency :: News
The Missile Defense Agency released a report on the unsuccessful recent attempt to conduct a test of the ground based missile defense system, with the December Integrated Flight Test 13c. A new flight test to repeat IFT-13c is scheduled to take place in either February or March, contingent upon the time needed to prepare a new target missile. The target missile will again be launched from Kodiak Island and the interceptor from Kwajalein in the Pacific. (Article, Link)
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Minor Software Glitch Responsible for Shutdown; Five Tests of System in 2005
January 13, 2005 :: Defense News :: News
The head of the Missile Defense Agency, Lt. General Henry Obering, yesterday explained that the December 15 failed attempt to test the ground based interceptor was due to a “very minor software glitch,” which can easily be remedied, according to Defense News. The glitch was said to be a “gap in the flow of electronic messages between the flight computer and the interceptor’s thrust vector controller.”
As to the actual, formal deployment of the Alaska-California based system, Obering largely repeated the remarks of Secretary Rumsfeld on December 22, that it may not be anytime soon, and that it may be made operational without “formal” announcement:
“I cannot tell you there is going to be a date certain when we will to declare anything. I can tell you we do have a capability that is out there. We continue in the process of improving it, and we continue in the process of exercising with it … and we will continue in that mode.”
Some five flight tests of the system are scheduled for 2005, including at least two attempted intercepts. Obering is also quoted as saying that the Pentagon may repeat the test, IFT-13c, as early as mid-February. The next test, IFT-14, is slated for March or April. (Article, Link)
» Reuters on Obering explanation
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» Missile system details for: Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI), Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD)
Interceptor May be Returned to U.S. for Testing
January 5, 2005 :: News
The ground based interceptor which did not launch in the December 15 attempt at a test of the missile defense system will likely be shipped back to the U.S. from the Kwajalein missile range, according to the January 3 edition of Aviation Week & Space Technology, although no plans are yet in place to do so. After a target missile had been fired, the interceptor’s computer detected a fault which initiated an automatic shutdown.
The January 5 edition of the Aerospace Daily & Defense Report notes that the Missile Defense agency is near to determining the problem described thus far only as an “unknown anomaly.” MDA spokesman Rick Lehner was quoted as saying that “we expect to have some information within the next week or two.”
Update: The January 17 edition of Aviation Week and Space Technology reports that the interceptor will be fixed at Kwajalein, thereby eliminating the need to return it to the U.S (Link)
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» Missile system details for: Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI), Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD)
