AEGIS Combat System

The **AEGIS Combat System** is an American integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin. It uses powerful computer and radar technology to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets. The word "Aegis" is a reference that dates back to Greek mythology, with connotations of a protective shield, as the Aegis was the buckler (shield) of Zeus, worn by Athena.

Initially used by the United States Navy on Earth, Aegis is now used also by the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force, Spanish Navy, Royal Norwegian Navy, Republic of Korea Navy and Royal Australian Navy. Over 100 Aegis-equipped ships have been deployed. In the New World, the JMSDF is the sole active user of the AEGIS Combat System.

## Origin

During the cold war the Soviet Union threatened the US aircraft carriers with hordes of bombers armed with lots of big supersonic "carrier-killer" missiles. So the US Navy come up with an ambitious plan to counter it. First the E-2 Hawkeye, a carrier based flying radar. Due to the curvature of the Earth the higher the radar is, the farther it can see. This is to detect the bombers early. Second the F-14 interceptor that could stay in the air longer and armed with the ultra-long distance Phoenix missile. This is to shot down the bombers before they launched their missiles or worst case scenario for shot down the incoming missiles. Third the last line of defense, the Aegis system that automatically detect, track, analyze, prioritize and shot down the missiles that the interceptors fail to stop at a speed way faster than previous generations of anti-air defense systems. Thanks to the heavy use of computers, automation and a powerful radar it was so revolutionary for that time that even today people call similar systems "the Chinese Aegis" or "the Japanese mini-Aegis", it become the Gold-Standard. The US Navy keep giving it regular upgrades in hardware and software, adding new capabilities, so despite competitors claiming that their system is better in some area like radar range or quantity of missiles that can intercept simultaneously, the Aegis is more flexible and can do more things like intercepting ballistic missiles. An Aegis destroyer can do many things but the role they excel is be the shield of their fleet by providing a solid anti-air defense.

## Description

The Aegis Combat System (ACS) is an advanced command and control (command and decision, or C&D, in Aegis parlance) and weapon control system (WCS) that uses powerful computers and radars to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets.

The ACS is composed of the Aegis Weapon System (AWS), the fast-reaction component of the Aegis Anti-Aircraft Warfare (AAW) capability, along with the Phalanx Close In Weapon System (CIWS), and the Mark 41 Vertical Launch System. Mk 41 VLS is available in different versions that vary in size and weight. There are three lengths: 209 in (5.3 m) for the self-defense version, 266 in (6.8 m) for the tactical version, and 303 in (7.7 m) for the strike version. The empty weight for an 8-cell module is 26,800 lb. (12,200 kg) for the self-defense version, 29,800 lb. (13,500 kg) for the tactical version, and 32,000 lb. (15,000 kg) for the strike version, thus incorporating anti-submarine warfare (ASW) systems and Tomahawk Land Attack Cruise Missiles (TLAM). Shipboard torpedo and naval gunnery systems are also integrated.

AWS, the heart of Aegis, comprises the AN/SPY-1 Radar, MK 99 Fire Control System, WCS, the Command and Decision Suite, and SM-2 Standard Missile family of weapons; these include the basic RIM-66 Standard, the RIM-67 extended range missile, and the newer RIM-161 designed to counter ballistic missile threats. A further SM-2 based weapon, the RIM-174 Standard ERAM was deployed in 2013. Individual ships may not carry all variants. Weapons loads are adjusted to suit assigned mission profile. The Aegis Combat System is controlled by an advanced, automatic detect-and-track, multi-function three-dimensional passive electronically scanned array radar, the AN/SPY-1. Known as "the Shield of the Fleet", the SPY high-powered (6 megawatt) radar is able to perform search, tracking, and missile guidance functions simultaneously with a track capacity of well over 100 targets at more than 100 nautical miles (190 km). However the AN/SPY-1 Radar is mounted lower than the AN/SPS-49 radar system and so has a reduced radar horizon.

The Aegis system communicates with the Standard missiles through a radio frequency (RF) uplink using the AN/SPY-1 radar for mid-course update missile guidance during engagements, but still requires the AN/SPG-62 radar for terminal guidance. This means that with proper scheduling of intercepts, a large number of targets can be engaged simultaneously.

The computer-based command-and-decision element is the core of the Aegis Combat System. This interface makes the ACS capable of simultaneous operation against almost all kinds of threats. The **Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMD)** program is intended to enable the Aegis system to act in a sea-based ballistic missile defense function, to counter short- and medium-range ballistic missiles of the variety typically employed by a number of potential opponent states. As of January, 2014, the US and Japan were the only countries to purchase or deploy the Aegis BMD.

### 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 missile defense against short to intermediate-range 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 missiles post-boost phase and prior to reentry. Prior to its transfer in the New World, Japan had managed to acquire the AEGIS BMD.

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 the RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) mid-course interceptors and the RIM-156 Standard Missile 2 Extended Range Block IV (SM-2 Block IV) or RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile (SM-6) terminal-phase interceptors. The Aegis BMD system is not designed, at least at present, to intercept longer-ranged intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Detection and tracking data collected by the Aegis BMD system's radar, however, might be passed to other U.S. BMD systems that are designed to intercept ICBMs, which might support intercepts of ICBMs that are conducted by those other U.S. BMD systems.

## Ships Equipped in the JMSDF

* Kongō-Class AEGIS Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG)
* Atago-Class AEGIS Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG)
* Maya-Class AEGIS Guided-Missile Destroyer (DDG)
* Yamato-Class Guided-Missile Battleship (To appear)

## AEGIS Combat System in the New World

### Japan

Japan enjoyed the status of being as one of the few Earth countries that uses the AEGIS CMS and AEGIS BMD. As Japan transferred to the New World, the capabilities of the AEGIS system were proven to be unmatched by navies of the New World, both by allies and enemies of Japan.

### Gra Valkas Empire

As they are still in the heyday of Vacuum Tube technology, they considered the system as a hoax and mere propaganda of Japan's supposedly advanced technology. When Naguano submitted his findings to his boss Hamidall, the former was scolded by the latter, reminding him that in order to achieve the said computing power, they need a skyscraper to put all the needed vacuum tubes. Also, Hamidall said that it will take 400 years for the vacuum tube to shrink to the size of a coin, stating the lack of knowledge of GVE to develop alternatives for the vacuum tubes.