KAUAI, Hawaii, Sept. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The JS ATAGO (DDG-177), supported by the U.S. Navy, Missile Defense Agency and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), used an upgraded Aegis Combat System, testing their Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability for the first time.

The Japanese Flight Test Mission-05 exercise on Sept. 11 successfully demonstrated organic engagement of a simple separating target.

The JS ATAGO is now the most advanced warship in the Japanese fleet following this modernization effort. The JS ATAGO Aegis Weapon System merges BMD into an Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability using commercial-off-the-shelf and open architecture technologies including the Aegis Common Source Library (CSL).

JS ATAGO is the first international ship to benefit from the CSL, which allows far greater interoperability across the fleet, reducing development training and sustainment costs.  It also improves flexibility in crew assignments.

"I commend the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force for their commitment to affordability and innovation," said Mary Keifer, director, Lockheed Martin's Aegis International programs, Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors. "This baseline modernization effort streamlined their lifetime support costs and provided a means to gain advanced BMD capability."

This successful BMD test builds upon joint research investments by the United States and Japan. Lockheed Martin is developing a Baseline 9 variant computer program for deployment on Japan's newest Aegis destroyers.

For additional information, visit our website: https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-us/products/aegis-combat-system.html.

About Lockheed Martin

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 100,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. This year the company received three Edison Awards for ground-breaking innovations in autonomy, satellite technology and directed energy.

SOURCE Lockheed Martin