Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris company, provided the Medium Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) target used in the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) test for the U.S. Missile Defense Technologies.
The test, designated as FTX-23, used two Aegis ships and the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex to perform target scene data collection of an MRBM with countermeasures. The test also included the firing of a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA (SM-3 Blk IIA) against the same medium range ballistic missile target, to verify additional functionality of the SM-3 Blk IIA.
“By providing a high-fidelity target our team helped ensure the MDA’s test program provided a realistic threat environment,” said Ross Niebergall, President, Aerojet Rocketdyne. “The MRBM target and C-17 cargo aircraft launch system enables streamlined operations in remote locations worldwide, essential to highly effective, missile defense system testing.”
MRBM Type 1 and Type 2 targets are designed, manufactured and launched by Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Coleman site. In addition to the actual target vehicle, Aerojet Rocketdyne provides integrated logistics support, including inventory storage and maintenance, pre- and post-mission analysis, launch preparation, launch execution and engineering services.