14 DAY TRIAL // Though experts are still peering through telemetry data, officials at the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) are thrilled about the preliminary results of a new missile test the organization conducted. On June 6, the MDA managed to successfully launch a new, trimmed-down version of a ground-based interceptor it uses for years. The new test flight is destined to analyze the production progress of the smaller variant, which is destined to be deployed to Europe, as part of the continent missile shield.
“The Missile Defense Agency successfully conducted a flight test of a two-stage Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI), launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, at 3:25 pm PDT. The two-stage GBI is undergoing developmental testing as part of the Department of Defense’s strategy to invest in a new missile defense option which can contribute to our homeland’s defense. Results from the test will characterize two-stage performance and design for potential future missile defense applications,” the agency said in a statement released to the press.
Not all telemetry data have been analyzed just yet. The flight was meant to point the GBI towards a designated point in space, and not to shoot down an object from the sky. According to MDA officials, there are still chances that something bad will turn out in the data. They add, however, that there is no strong reason to believe this will be the case, given that the preliminary results are all in the green. If successful, the new interceptor will be deployed at rocket bases in Romania and Poland (Eastern Europe) within 5 years. Additionally, US Navy Aegis ships, outfitted with the new SM-3 batteries, will be deployed in European waters, to divert a potential terrorist attack, Space reports.
“A target missile was not launched for this flight test. After performing flyout maneuvers, the two-stage booster delivered an exoatmospheric kill vehicle to a designated point in space. The exoatmospheric kill vehicle is the component that, if a target missile were present, would collide directly with the threat warhead to perform a “hit to kill” intercept. After separating from the second-stage booster, the kill vehicle executed a variety of maneuvers to collect data to further prove the performance of the kill vehicle in space,” the MDA further said.