But as to whether a thing has been 'battle tested' I might remind that a LOT of systems were never battle tested before having to be used but came through with flying colors. The F-14, the F-15, the F-16, the A-10, the M1-A1 and the Bradley. The Hummer. JSTARS. AWACS. The Prowler, the TOW, etc. The list goes on.
And we have TOTALLY DEPENDED for national strategic deterrence on systems such as the Minuteman III, The Peacekeeper, and the Trident D-4/D-5 missles WHICH HAVE NEVER been 'battle tested'. And thank God they haven't been.
But deterrence has shown weaknesses depending on the enemies assessment of our national strength of will to actually do anything in response to their aggressions. Hence 3-4 decades of proxy war, transforming into terrorism of the last decade currently. And with the most artless practitioners basically calling our 'bluff' that we either can or will stop them from blackmailing us and our allies (after having Clinton spending 8 years telling them they could get away with said blackmail). We need to make it clear that we are indeed possessed of the resolve to do whatever it takes. The deployment of the Aegis sea based missile defense is both a real defense...and a message. WE WILL PREVAIL. WHATEVER IT TAKES. SO DON'T MESS WITH US.
A picture of the USS Lake Erie berthed at Vancouver