U.S. Navy Aegis Weapon System Guides Standard Missile to Target Intercept

The Lockheed Martin developed Aegis Weapon System 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 by a Raytheon-developed Standard Missile (SM)-3 over the Pacific Ocean. In addition to USS Lake Erie, the guided missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59) also participated in today's test. USS Russell provided target track information to the USS Lake Erie and components of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense element. This test, Flight Mission (FM)-6, marks the fourth time that the Aegis Weapon System successfully guided its Standard Missile-3 to a ballistic missile target. The test was sponsored by the Missile Defense Agency. "This test was another critical step in the United States' ongoing ballistic missile defense efforts," said Fred Moosally, president of Lockheed Martin's Maritime Systems & Sensors business. "Destroying a threat missile is an important milestone, and once again the proven surveillance, tracking and fire control capability of the Aegis Weapon System has met the challenge."