Naval Story
A Missile Shield at Sea: Sea-based defenses track ballistic missiles in all flight regimes, and intercept threats at shorter range
By Clarence A. Robinson Jr. in Naval under Print Edition with no comments
U.S. Navy cruisers and destroyers equipped with Aegis Combat Systems provide the mainstay for the nation’s sea-based missile defense. Following a string of successful ballistic missile target intercepts using the Aegis system, the Navy is moving to boost the number of ballistic missile defense-capable ships in the fleet.
The Aegis Combat System provides the Navy’s cruisers and destroyers with a multimission capability – an integrated combination of sensors, weapons, computers, software, and displays. This system is named for the mythological shield carried by Zeus.
Indeed, Aegis ships are equipped for cruise and ballistic missile defense (BMD), anti-air, antisubmarine, and anti-surface warfare, according to Rear Adm. Victor G. Guillory, USN. He is the Navy’s director of Surface Warfare, or N86. These ships also provide surface fire support for forces ashore and Tomahawk cruise missile
strikes.
At the heart of the Aegis system is a powerful 4-million-watt multi-function phased array radar performing search, automatic detection, target tracking, and missile-engagement support. A family of Standard Missiles (SMs) includes a ballistic missile interceptor, the SM-3, and the new SM-6, a formidable, extremely fast, extended-range active seeker missile to engage over-the-horizon (OTH) threats, Guillory noted.
Aegis ships already operate in worldwide regions to support U.S. combat commanders with ballistic missile defense, Guillory pointed out. “Aegis, already a Navy core mission area, is transitioning into a vital missile defense capability.” A graduate of the Naval Academy, Guillory served at sea on a number of surface platforms: frigates, destroyers, and cruisers. He commanded the USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), an Aegis cruiser.
More than 27 nations possess ballistic missiles, and growing numbers operate with or pursue weapons of mass destruction warheads. Accordingly, the Navy plans to expand its Aegis-equipped BMD-capable fleet from three cruisers and 15 destroyers to 84 ships – 22 cruisers and 62 destroyers – to deter or defeat ballistic missile threats against America and its allies. The Navy will soon add three Aegis ships – two cruisers and a destroyer – to the Atlantic Fleet, bringing the total number of BMD-capable ships to 21, Guillory said. “A lot of capability has been leveraged from the Missile Defense Agency [MDA] and built upon Aegis and SM technologies…
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July 30th, 2010
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