Missile Defense Agency
U.S. Department of Defense
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Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense
Current Status
Sea-Based BMD Force Structure
The Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) has designated Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) as a core mission and looks to populate the BMD capability throughout the Aegis Fleet to meet the demand signal. The Combatant Commanders’ (COCOMs’) demand for Aegis BMD ships is driven by requests for forces and/or standing Executive Orders.
Due to the COCOMs’ demand, the MDA and the Navy have co-funded Aegis BMD installations on three additional Atlantic Fleet ships, USS Vella Gulf (CG-72), USS The Sullivans (DDG-68) in 2009, and USS Monterey (CG-61) in 2010.
Midcourse and Terminal Phase Defense
Initially, the Aegis BMD’s role in the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) was to intercept short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles in the midcourse phase of flight. In 2006, that role was expanded to include a sea-based terminal phase defense.
Pacific Phoenix Demonstration
Combatant Commanders recognized a critical need for forward-deployed, terminal missile defense systems. Therefore, the MDA and the U.S. Navy developed a near-term strategy for a terminal engagement capability.
Since 2001, the Navy and the MDA have been evaluating more alternatives for a sea-based terminal missile defense capability. One such alternative involved an Aegis BMD Cruiser that was adapted to detect and engage ballistic missile targets with a modified Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IV.
On May 23, 2006, the USS Lake Erie (CG-70) conducted the Pacific Phoenix flight test against a short-range ballistic missile target. Its modified Aegis BMD Weapon System provided the capability to guide the SM-2 Block IV missile to achieve either direct hit, or a near-direct hit where high pressure, heat and fragments are inflicted on the target by the SM-2’s blast fragmentation warhead.
In the Pacific Phoenix test, the target was completely destroyed by the combined effects of the Aegis BMD mechanisms. This success resulted in a joint Navy/MDA project to deploy a near-term sea-based terminal (NTSBT) capability. The Navy is now funding the modifications of existing SM-2 Block IV missiles, while the MDA is funding the development, integration and test of the NTSBT capability into the Aegis BMD Weapon System.
