The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Weapon System with its Standard Missile (SM)-3 successfully intercepted a ballistic missile target outside the earth's atmosphere during its descent phase of flight today. The Aegis Weapon System, aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70), and range sensors confirmed a direct hit of the missile target over the Pacific Ocean. Lockheed Martin develops the Aegis BMD Weapon System and serves as the Combat System Engineering Agent for Aegis BMD. Raytheon Company develops the SM-3.

In addition to USS Lake Erie, the guided missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59) participated in today's test. A new Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Signal Processor (Aegis BSP), installed on the destroyer, conducted real-time detection, tracking and discrimination of the target, as well as analysis of target interception. This is the first time the Aegis BSP was used in an at- sea flight test mission.

This test, Flight Test Mission 04-1, marks the fifth time the Lockheed Martin Aegis BMD Weapon System successfully guided its SM-3 to a ballistic missile target intercept. The test was sponsored by the Missile Defense Agency.

"This was another extraordinary achievement for the Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Navy," said Fred Moosally, president of Lockheed Martin's Maritime Systems & Sensors business unit. "The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense team is committed to successfully completing each milestone, and has once again proven the surveillance, tracking and fire control capability of the Aegis BMD Weapon System to meet every new challenge."

The Aegis Weapon System is the world's premier naval surface defense system and is the basis for Aegis BMD, the primary component of the sea-based element of the United States' Ballistic Missile Defense System. The Aegis BMD Weapon System seamlessly integrates the SPY-1 radar, the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System and the SM-3 missile with its own command and control system. It is capable of simultaneous operation defending against advanced air, surface, subsurface and ballistic missile threats.

Currently, Aegis Weapon System capabilities are on 68 U.S. Navy cruisers and destroyers on station around the world. Plans are currently underway to install the system on an additional 18 U.S. Navy destroyers. In addition to the U.S., Aegis is the weapon system of choice for Japan, Korea, Norway and Spain. Recently, Australia selected Aegis for its new Air Warfare Destroyer program.

Lockheed Martin is a world leader in systems integration and the development of air and missile defense systems and technologies, including the first operational hit-to-kill missile defense system, PAC-3. It also has considerable experience in interceptor systems, kill vehicles, battle management command, control and communications, precision pointing and tracking optics, as well as radar and other sensors that enable signal processing and data fusion. The company makes significant contributions to all 10 major U.S. Missile Defense Systems and participates in several global missile defense partnerships. Lockheed Martin Corporation is headquartered in Bethesda, MD.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin