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Flight Mission 4 Missile Test Successful
Thursday, November 21, 2002
United States Department of Defense

The next test, FM-4, marks the beginning of a six flight test series to develop an emergency deployment sea based ballistic missile defense against short-to-medium range ballistic missiles.

No. 594-02
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the U.S. Navy announced today a successful flight test in the continuing development of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. Flight Mission-4 (FM-4) involved the firing of a developmental Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) from the Aegis ballistic missile defense cruiser USS Lake Erie to engage a ballistic missile target launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on the island of Kauai, Hawaii.

The target was launched at 2:30 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time (7:30 p.m. EST). The USS Lake Erie, equipped with Aegis BMD computer programs and equipment, developed a fire control solution without any external sensor inputs. Within two minutes after target launch the Aegis Weapon System fired the SM-3 guided missile. Approximately two minutes later, the missile's kinetic warhead acquired, tracked and diverted into the target, demonstrating the Aegis BMD system's capability to engage the ballistic missile target in the ascent phase. This was the third consecutive target intercept.

The primary objective of this test is to demonstrate the Aegis BMD system capability to engage the ballistic missile target in the ascent phase of flight. Extensive engineering evaluation data has been collected for analyses in preparation for future flight tests. Project officials will evaluate the data and incorporate changes as required.
(More: DoD News Source)
2002 © The United States Department of Defense.

Dan