Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System ( Aegis BMD or ABMD ) is a United States Department of Defense Missile Defense Agency program developed to provide defense against ballistic missiles . It is part of the United States national missile defense strategy . Aegis BMD ( also known as Sea - Based Midcourse ) is designed to intercept ballistic missile s post - boost phase and prior to reentry . It enables warships to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles , by expanding the Aegis Combat System with the addition of the AN / SPY - 1 radar and Standard missile technologies . Aegis BMD - equipped vessels can transmit their target detection information to the Ground - Based Midcourse Defense system and , if needed , engage potential threats using either the SM - 2 or SM - 3 missile . The current system uses the Lockheed Martin Aegis Weapon System and the Raytheon RIM - 161 Standard Missile 3 ( SM - 3 ) . Notable subcontractors and technical experts include Boeing , Alliant Techsystems ( ATK ) , Honeywell , Naval Surface Warfare Center , SPAWAR Systems Center , Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory ( JHU / APL ) , and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory ( Lincoln Lab ) . History and technical development . Origins . The current effort to deploy Aegis ballistic missile defense ( ABMD ) was begun during the mid - 1980s as part of President Ronald Reagan ' s Strategic Defense Initiative ( SDI ) . The SDI plan was initially for a space - based railgun system . However , due to technological constraints , the system was transformed into a surface - based system known as the Lightweight Exo - atmospheric Projectile ( LEAP ) . The original testing of the LEAP was done as part of the Army LEAP program . Later , SDIO worked with the Navy to test the LEAP on the Terrier missile . The TERRIER LEAP demonstration program lasted from 1991 into 1995 and consisted of four flight tests . Two of these were intercept tests in early 1995 ; both failed to intercept — the first had a software error in the second stage booster , the second had a squib ( pyrotechnic switch to connect power ) in the kinetic kill vehicle that was mounted backwards and failed to fire . Program history and development . During the late 1990s , the US Navy was tasked to provide a weapon system for exploratory testing of LEAP . This phase was designated the Aegis LEAP Intercept ( ALI ) program . The program was for two successful intercepts in five attempts . On June 13 , 2002 , the second successful ALI intercept occurred during the FM - 3 flight test mission . Initial Aegis BMD success may have contributed to President George W . Bush ' s decision to deploy an emergency ballistic missile capability by late 2004 . Upon the completion of the ALI program , Aegis BMD was transitioned to the production phase . The first Block I production SM - 3 was delivered in October 2004 , and the Aegis 3 . 0 update was delivered in 2005 . This system was given major new importance by President Obama in September 2009 , when he announced plans to scrap the plans for a missile defense site in Poland , in favor of missile defense systems located on US Navy warships . On 18 September 2009 , Russian Prime Minister Putin welcomed Obama ' s plans for missile defense which may include stationing American Aegis armed warships in the Black Sea , as these would be less effective against Russia ' s missile attacks . In 2009 , several US Navy ships were fitted with SM - 3 missiles to serve this function , which complements the Patriot systems already deployed by American units . Also , warships of Japan and Australia have been given weapons and technology to enable them to participate as well . Current Aegis BMD hardware includes the SM - 3 Block - 1a missile and other improvements to the Aegis Weapons System . Future development of the Aegis BMD system includes Launch on Remote capability , upgraded SM - 3 avionics and hardware , and an upgraded Aegis Weapon System . In 2012 Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense will merge with Aegis Open Architecture and deliver the benefits of both platforms . The Launch on Remote capability involves the use of off - board sensors , such as the Space Tracking and Surveillance System to provide a targeting solution for a SM - 3 launch . Aegis Ashore . A land - based component , " Aegis Ashore " , is also planned ( " pictured " ) . This would consist of equipment which is commonly used by the Navy being deployed in land - based facilities . This would include SPY - 1 radar s and a battery of Standard Missile - 3s . The Obama administration ’ s plans call for two sites : the first in Romania at Deveselu in 2015 and the second in Poland in 2018 . In 2020 , both will get the latest versions of the Aegis BMD software and the latest version of the SM - 3 . Some radar facilities will be placed in Turkey at a future date . Deployment . Several countries have begun to deploy this system . The most prominent are the United States and Japan . Also , Spain , United Kingdom , Australia , Netherlands , Germany , South Korea , and NATO are taking effort to install LRST and engagement capable systems . U . S . Navy Aegis BMD Vessels . A total of five US Navy " Ticonderoga " class cruiser s and 16 " Arleigh Burke " class destroyer s have BMD capability . In 2010 , all remaining " Ticonderoga " class cruisers that have SPY 1B systems ( CG - 59 – CG - 73 ) will be refitted with TBMD engagement technology . " Ticonderoga " class cruisers equipped with anti - ballistic missile capability include the USS " Lake Erie " , USS " Shiloh " and USS " Port Royal " . " Arleigh Burke " class destroyers so equipped include the USS " Wilbur " , USS " Stout " , USS " John S . McCain " , USS " Russell " , USS " Paul Hamilton " , USS " Ramage " , USS " Fitzgerald " , USS " Stethem " , USS " Benfold " , USS " Milius " , USS " Decatur " , USS " O ' Kane " . An additional three ships have been refitted for Long Range Surveillance and Tracking ( LRST ) : USS " John Paul Jones " , USS " Hopper " , and USS " Higgins " , with plans to add engagement capabilities by 2010 . On November 12 , 2009 , the Missile Defense Agency announced that six additional US Navy destroyers would be upgraded to participate in the program . In fiscal 2012 , , , and will be upgraded . , and will be upgraded in fiscal year 2013 . The goal of the program is to have 21 ships upgraded by the end of 2010 ; 24 in 2012 ; 27 around 2013 and 38 at the end of FY 2015 . In January 2010 , the Obama Administration began to increase the deployed presence of Aegis BMD - equipped warships in the Persian Gulf . Some media reports attributed this to heightened concerns about conduct of Iran and its possible nuclear weapons effort . Japanese deployment . The JMSDF has equipped three vessels for LRST and engagement : JS Kongo , JS Chokai , JS Myoko , and in 2010 the JS Kirishima . Japan ' s foreign minister Hirofumi Nakasone and South Korea ' s Minister of Foreign Affairs Yu Myung - hwan agreed that early April 5 , 2009 launch of the North Korean Unha - 2 satellite violated UN resolutions 1695 and 1718 of July 2006 . Japan ' s cabinet examined approval of a JMSDF AEGIS BMD engagement in the event of a failure of the Taepondong launch . The Japanese government also noted that it could bypass cabinet for an interception under Article 82 , Section 2 , Paragraph 3 of the Self - Defence Forces law . In total , 5 AEGIS destroyers were deployed at that time . The intercept - capability was a 2 - tiered use of SM - 3 ' s in the boost phase and Patriot AC - 3 ' s in the event of re - entry in Japanese airspace during a potential failure . Supplemental to SM - 3 capability the Japanese system incorporates an airborne component . Together discrimination between platform tests and satellite launches is possible by analyzing the angle of ascent . Australia . Australia has begun to acquire various weapons and technological equipment for installation on warships in order to be part of the Aegis BMD . There is evidence that these systems will be installed on its new destroyer which is still under construction , the " Hobart " class air warfare destroyer . NATO . In 2012 the system will achieve an " interim capability " that will for the first time offer American forces in Europe some protection against IRBM attack . Planned SM - 3 missile bases include Romania ( 2015 ) and Poland ( 2018 ) . Political debate . Tom Laliberty of Raytheon said that President Barack Obama was forced to shift from a land based missile defense system to a sea based one because of the difficulties of coordinating with partner nations . There is discussion about the effectiveness of this plan . Some critics say it might not be as effective as a ground - based defense . Also , the US Defense Department has said it would be just one component of a wider defense which might also include ground - based facilities . There are some reports that SPY - 1 radar systems onboard some individual warships are not being maintained properly . A Navy panel headed by retired Vice Adm . Phillip Balisle has asserted that since the late 1990s there has been an over - emphasis on saving money , including cuts in crews and streamlined training and maintenance , which has led to a drastic decline in readiness , and has left Aegis combat systems in low state of readiness . And in spite of a reduction in the objective for the number of Aegis armed warships to field , the USN will still fall short of this reduced objective under the FY2012 shipbuilding plan for the next 30 years . However Russia considers the system to be so formidable that Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that they would " react in the sharpest manner " to any American ships armed with the system found near their shores . Other capabilities . The Aegis BMD system , coupled with the RIM - 161 Standard missile ( SM - 3 ) , has also demonstrated a limited capability as an anti - satellite weapon against satellites in the lower portion of low Earth orbit . On February 20 , 2008 , USA 193 was destroyed by a group of Aegis ships in the Pacific , out of concern of that satellite ' s hydrazine payload contaminating land area upon re - entry from an uncontrolled orbit . The launching vessel was the USS Lake Erie , and one SM - 3 missile was used . Interception was at an altitude of 133 nautical miles ( 247 kilometers ) . According to Roger Cliff , a senior political scientist at the RAND Corporation , while the SM - 3 would have limited effectiveness against ASBMs , the U . S . arsenal has a " variety of potential countermeasures " and the " kill chain " of a potential DF - 21D attack would be so " complicated " that it would provide a " number of opportunities to defeat the attack " . He also stated that unless one country integrates an " entire system of systems " to make this work , the missile itself would be pretty " useless " . “ Some countries might buy them just to impress their neighbors , but their combat effectiveness would be negligible unless the country also invested in the needed detection , data processing , and communications systems " . - Roger Cliff Flight tests to date . CTV - 1 . The first flight test for the Navy Theater Wide program , Control Test Vehicle - 1 ( CTV - 1 ) was on 26 September 1997 , using a SM - 2 Block IV missile modified for exoatmospheric flight , and launched from the USS Russell ( DDG 59 ) . The missile self - destructed soon after launch after veering off course . The root cause of this problem was due to a defect in the Navy ' s existing SM - 2 Block IV ordnance , not due to any guidance modifications for high altitude flight . The Navy and BMDO thus characterized the flight as a " No - Test . " CTV - 1a . The next flight for Raytheon ' s SM - 3 came on September 24 , 1999 , during Control Test Vehicle ( CTV ) - 1A ( Codename : Stellar Phoenix ) . CTV - 1a was a test of the first and second stage of the SM - 3 . The mission was considered a success . The USS " Shiloh " was the launching ship . FTR - 1 . The next mission was conducted in July 2000 and designated Flight Test Round ( FTR - 1 ) ( Codename : Stellar Archer ) . This mission ended in failure when the Third Stage Rocket Motor ( TSRM ) failed to separate from the second stage . The USS " Shiloh " was the launching ship . FTR - 1a . FTR - 1a ( Codename : Stellar Gemini ) was conducted on January 25 , 2001 . This mission would be the first time a live unitary target was engaged by the Aegis BMD system . The test target was launched from the U . S . Navy ' s Pacific Missile Range Facility located on the Hawaiian island of Kauai . FTR - 1a would demonstrate exo - atmospheric avionics operation of the SM - 3 Kinetic Warhead ( KW ) and the real - time performance of the Aegis BMD AN / SPY - 1 radar . At the time this test was conducted , the KW ' s propulsion system , the Solid Divert and Attitude Control System ( SDACS ) , was still being developed . Total system operation was demonstrated in FM - 2 . The mission was considered successful when the KW acquired and tracked the test target for several seconds . The USS " Lake Erie " was the launching ship . FM - 2 . The purpose of Flight Mission ( FM ) - 2 ( Codename : Stellar Eagle ) was to characterize the Aegis Weapon System and Standard Missile - 3 interceptor . The mission was not required to intercept the target . On January 25 , 2002 , an SM - 3 launched from the USS " Lake Erie " collided with a test target northeast of the island of Kauai . This mission was the first interception of a ballistic missile from a sea - based platform . FM - 3 . On June 13 , 2002 Aegis BMD succeeded in intercepting a unitary target missiles launched from PMRF during FM - 3 ( Codename : Stellar Impact ) . The USS " Lake Erie " was the firing ship . This mission marked the successful completion of the Aegis LEAP Intercept program . June 13 , 2002 was also the date that the United States withdrew from the Anti - Ballistic Missile Treaty ( ABM Treaty ) , which limited the development of a strategic anti - ballistic missile system ( to be considered strategic Aegis would need capability against the current Russian ICBM s and SLBM s ) . FM - 4 . On November 21 , 2002 Aegis BMD intercepted a unitary ballistic missile during FM - 4 ( Codename : Stellar Viper ) . FM - 4 was the first Aegis BMD test to conduct the " aimpoint shift " maneuver . The aimpoint shift increases the probability that the ballistic missile ordnance will be destroyed at intercept . The USS " Lake Erie " was the launching ship . FM - 5 . On June 18 , 2003 , the FM - 5 mission ( Codename : Stellar Hammer ) resulted in the first test failure of an operational Aegis BMD system . During the test , the SDACS propulsion system used to guide the SM - 3 ' s kinetic warhead suffered a malfunction after ignition . It is important to note that prior to the rocket motor failure the SM - 3 kinetic warhead was on an intercept course with the test target . The USS " Lake Erie " was the firing ship . FM - 6 . The next mission , FM - 6 ( Codename : Stellar Defender ) was conducted on December 11 , 2003 . A modification to the SDACS design was implemented so as not to endanger the warhead ' s ability to intercept . This override allowed the KW to navigate with reduced ( but no less lethal ) capability . FM - 6 once again featured a successful interception . The USS " Lake Erie " was the firing ship . FTM 04 - 1 ( FM - 7 ) . After the FM - 6 mission , the Missile Defense Agency implemented a change to the flight test naming convention for all subsequent ABMD flight tests . According to MDA the new convention better reflected the program ' s position within the Block 2004 / 2006 schema of development . The new name , Flight Test Mission ( FTM ) 04 - 1 ( Codename : Stellar Dragon ) , indicated that this would be the first flight test under the Block 2004 development cycle for Aegis BMD . On February 24 , 2005 , FM - 7 , or FTM 04 - 1 , demonstrated yet again the system ' s ability to destroy an enemy ballistic missile . The USS " Lake Erie " was the firing ship . FTM 04 - 2 ( FM - 8 ) . FM - 8 , or FTM 04 - 2 ( Codename : Stellar Valkyrie ) , was the first mission to utilize a target missile with a separating warhead . This new target missile , termed a Medium Range Target ( MRT ) more closely resembled real world threat missiles , but the SM - 3 Block I missile was not fooled and intercepted the warhead to score the sixth interception for the program out of seven tries on November 17 , 2005 . The USS " Lake Erie " was the firing ship . FTM 04 - 3 ( FM - 9 ) . FM - 9 or FTM 04 - 3 was canceled as it was a repeat of the FTM 04 - 2 mission and therefore deemed redundant . FTM - 10 . FTM - 10 ( Codename : Stellar Predator ) was conducted in 4 events . On June 23 , 2006 , event 2 demonstrated the Aegis BMD system . The FTM - 10 test target was the MRT with a separating warhead . The USS " Shiloh " was the launching ship and utilized the Aegis Weapon System version 3 . 6 for the first time . This test was the first to feature the latest model of the SM - 3 , the Block Ia . The mission was considered a success when the KW tracked , selected and intercepted the MRT reentry vehicle ( RV ) . FTM - 10 marked the first time another country participated in a sea - based anti - ballistic missile exercise . The Japanese government was interested in purchasing a system similar to Aegis BMD to deter potential threats and was invited to participate in the FTM - 10 exercise . The Japanese naval vessel JDS " Kirishima " ( a Kongō class destroyer ) was stationed off the coast of PMRF and observed all FTM - 10 events . FTM - 11 . On December 7 , 2006 , FTM - 11 ( Codename : Stellar Hunter ) resulted in a mission abort . Due to an onboard error , the Aegis Weapon System failed to engage the test target and never launched the interceptor . The error was discovered and corrected prior to the retest of FTM - 11 test flight . The USS " Lake Erie " was the firing ship . The USS " Hopper " and the Dutch frigate HNLMS " Tromp " participated in the exercise . FTM - 11 retest . On April 26 , 2007 , Aegis BMD successfully intercepted its eighth target in ten attempts . This test marked the 27th successful " Hit - to - Kill " intercept ( for all MDA systems ) since 2001 . The USS " Lake Erie " was the launching ship and utilized the Aegis 3 . 6 Weapon System . The interceptor was the SM - 3 Block - Ia . This test not only demonstrated the ability of ABMD to intercept a ballistic missile but also demonstrated the " Lake Erie ' s " ability to simultaneously track and intercept antiship missiles . This test also utilized the Solid Divert and Attitude Control System ( SDACS ) , in the full pulse configuration . FTM - 12 . On June 22 , 2007 , the USS " Decatur " , using the operationally - certified Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Weapon System ( BMD 3 . 6 ) and the Standard Missile - 3 ( SM - 3 ) Block IA missile , successfully performed a " Hit To Kill " intercept of a separating , medium range , ballistic missile . The target missile was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai , HI . The " Ticonderoga " - class cruiser USS " Port Royal " , Spain ' s Álvaro de Bazán class frigate " MÉNDEZ NÚÑEZ " ( F - 104 ) , and MDA ' s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense ( THAAD ) mobile ground - based radar also participated in the flight test . FTM - 12 ( Codename : Stellar Athena ) was the first to use an " Arleigh Burke " - class destroyer as the launching ship . FTM - 13 . On November 6 , 2007 , the USS " Lake Erie " launched two interceptors off the island of Kauai , Hawaii , engaging two short - range ballistic missile targets almost simultaneously . JFTM - 1 . On 17 December 2007 , the JDS Kongō successfully intercepted a ballistic missile with SM - 3 Block IA and Aegis System . The target was launched from Pacific Missile Range Facility . This was the first time a Japanese ship was selected to launch the interceptor missile . In previous tests Japanese ships provided tracking and communications . FTM - 14 . On June 6 , 2008 at 08 : 13 HST , the USS " Lake Erie " successfully intercepted a terminal phase target with a modified SM - 2 Block IV interceptor . The aim of this mission was to test the interception and destruction of a short range ballistic missile target launched from a mobile launch platform . Stellar Daggers . March 26 , 2009 USS " Benfold " simultaneously engaged a SRBM in terminal phase and a cruise missile using SM - 2 ' s .