Pentagon blasts mock missile with Ground-Based Interceptor

William Atkins
Saturday, 06 December 2008 21:07

Science - Space

The threat-representative target missile was launched from Kodiak Alaska at 3:04 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The long-range ballistic target was tracked by numerous sea- and land-based radar systems.

The systems included an Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance-2 (AN/TPY-2) system in Juneau, Alaska, a U.S. Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) ship with SPY-1 radar, an Upgraded Early Warning Radar (EWR) at Beale Air Force Base (California), and a Sea-Based X-band radar system.

The information was then sent to the interceptor missile.

At 3:23 p.m. EST, the GBI was launched from the Ronald W. Reagan Missile Defense Site, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, in California.

The GBI flew downrange over the Pacific Ocean.

The EKV vehicle was then launched into the target’s predicted trajectory in space. It maneuvered to the target and intercepted the “threat warhead” at about 3:30 p.m. EST.

Page three contains comments of the test, along with additional information on the U.S. defense program.