Posted on 06/29/2010 8:37:49 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The Missile Defense Agency and Lockheed Martin conducted a successful flight test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Weapon System at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, HI. This flight test was THAAD's seventh intercept to date and proved the system's ability to intercept a unitary target in the low endo-atmosphere. There were many THAAD flight test program "firsts" accomplished during FTT-14, including the lowest endo-atmospheric intercept to date; use of fielded THAAD ground segment hardware and software from the THAAD production program; and the first live mission to demonstrate automatic engagement coordination between THAAD and Patriot.
In addition to Patriot, the flight test included participation by the C2BMC element. The C2BMC reported situational awareness to combatant commander displays monitoring the test.
Flight test objectives included demonstrating the integration of the THAAD Weapon System; intercepting the target at a highly stressing angle due to the high pressure environment of the endo-atmosphere; completing target acquisition and aimpoint selection by the interceptor's seeker avionics flight software; and operating the radar, fire control and launcher by U.S. Army soldiers during the mission.
"Today's successful low endo intercept further proves THAAD's mission flexibility and capability," said Tom McGrath, vice president and program manager for THAAD at Lockheed Martin. "The weapon system's success is much to the credit of the U.S. Army soldiers' superior performance in executing this mission and their dedication to 100 percent Mission Success."
Since 2005, the program has completed 11 flight tests, with seven-for-seven intercepts. THAAD is the only missile defense system with the operational flexibility to intercept in both the endo- and exo-atmospheres to provide versatile capability to the Warfighter.
(Excerpt) Read more at spacedaily.com ...
Ping
good post. Put me on your ping list if you have one..?
Look for Obama to axe the system.
I will. Welcome Aboard.
That looks better than the shot from white sands 15 years ago. I was in Chandler leaving at sunrise headed SW. A close look over at 9 showed a disastrous attempt. All circles.
Where was that pic taken?
Picture looks like the classic TEMs maneuver.
Picture looks like the classic TEMs maneuver.
I am glad to see THAAD come to life as well. We used to call it thud. I was working on SM-2 Block IVA during the early days of THAAD. That pic looks like it was taken at WSMR.
I didn’t have a camera and even got busted going 62 in a 60 just outside Maricopa. I asked the officer if he believed in aliens, and explained to him the contrails were missiles we intended for them. He wasn’t amused. 85.00 bucks :^)
Maricopa and Marana are favorite locations for the AZ DPS. These two sites are great revenue spots as you, unfortunately found out. They don’t cut you any slack, either, as I found out.
Why burn off excess fuel?
I was headed over to GB. I gave a lecture once at DM on the capabilities of the ranges and it was a pretty tough crowd. Those guys were fresh A-10 pilots and no more wanted to listen to me than the man on the moon. It was fun though.
The TEMS maneuver was required at WSMR so that the test missile stayed within the confines of the range. This maneuver is not required at the Pacific range in Kauai.
I would guess they're trying burn off energy to prevent an out of control missile from coming down on Albuquerque, Santa Fe, or Tucson... El Paso is probably on it's own though. ;-)
Regarding the "close in" target consideration... I'd guess there's something in the control logic that maybe they need to limit the closing velocity or some such. Whatever it is, they apparently want to make a close in intercept look like a nominal to long range intercept to the terminal guidance. Sounds good to me - keep things simple.
Also, does anyone else see the irony in a weapons system with "high altitude" in the name getting kudos for a low endo intercept? ;-)
Thanks for the replies. As you can see, I am no rocket scientist.
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