U.S., Japan Successfully Conduct Missile Test on Kaua‘i’s Westside

The USS John Paul Jones is seen here launching a missile to intercept a cruise missile target launched at Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kaua‘i’s Westside, during an exercise Aug. 1, 2015. The USS John Paul Jones successfully conducted another intercept test Feb. 3, in a joint exercise by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the Japan Ministry of Defense and the U.S. Navy. Photo courtesy of Missile Defense Agency

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency, the Japan Ministry of Defense, and U.S. Navy sailors aboard USS John Paul Jones successfully conducted a flight test earlier this month, resulting in the first intercept of a ballistic missile target using the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA off the west coast of Kaua‘i, as reported by the U.S. Navy.

The SM-3 Block IIA is being developed cooperatively by the U.S. and Japan to defeat medium- and intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The SM-3 Block IIA interceptor operates as part of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense system and can be launched from Aegis-equipped ships or Aegis Ashore sites.

On Feb. 3, at approximately 10:30 p.m., a medium-range ballistic missile target was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Kaua‘i.

The USS John Paul Jones detected and tracked the target missile with its onboard AN/SPY-1D(V) radar using the Aegis Baseline 9.C2 weapon system. Upon acquiring and tracking the target, the ship launched an SM-3 Block IIA guided missile which intercepted the target.

“Today’s test demonstrates a critical milestone in the cooperative development of the SM-3 Block IIA missile,” MDA Director Vice Adm. Jim Syring on the day of the test. “The missile, developed jointly by a Japanese and U.S. government and industry team, is vitally important to both our nations and will ultimately improve our ability to defend against increasing ballistic missile threats around the world.”

Based on preliminary data the test met its primary objective. Program officials will continue to evaluate system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test.

The flight test, designated SM-3 Block IIA Cooperative Development Project Flight Test, Standard Missile (SFTM)-01, was the third flight test of the SM-3 Block IIA guided missile, and the first intercept test. This test also marks the first time an SM-3IIA was launched from an Aegis ship and the first intercept engagement using the Aegis Baseline 9.C2 (BMD 5.1) weapon system.

Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense is the naval component of the U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System. The MDA and the U.S. Navy cooperatively manage the Aegis BMD program. The Missile Defense Agency’s mission is to develop and deploy a layered Ballistic Missile Defense System to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies and friends from ballistic missile attacks of all ranges in all phases of flight.

Visit www.mda.mil for more information.