The U.S. Missile Defence Agency successfully intercepted an air-launched intermediate-range ballistic missile target during a test off Guam for the first time, a significant milestone in the island’s defence capabilities, the Pentagon stated on Tuesday.
Guam, a U.S. territory in the Western Pacific, is a strategic military outpost that is located closer to China than to Hawaii. It plays a crucial role in maintaining U.S. presence in the region and deterring potential adversaries.
The successful test underscores the Pentagon’s commitment to bolstering Guam’s defences against evolving missile threats.
During the test, dubbed Flight Experiment Mission-02 (FEM-02), the Aegis Guam System, integrated with the new AN/TPY-6 radar and Vertical Launching System, fired a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA.
The missile – made by RTX Corp formerly Raytheon – successfully intercepted an air-launched Medium Range Ballistic Missile target off the coast of Andersen Air Force Base.
MDA Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins hailed the test as a “tremendous group effort,” emphasizing its significance in validating joint tracking architecture and integrated air and missile defence capabilities for Guam.
The successful intercept is part of a broader initiative to develop the Guam Defence System (GDS), which aims to provide an enhanced integrated air and missile defence system.
The MDA plans to use the data gathered from this experiment to further refine and validate the concept and requirements for the future GDS.
In October 2023, a Pentagon report on China’s military and security development stated that the PLA Rocket Force is actively modernizing to improve its strategic deterrence capabilities. It includes the development of new intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). The report also mentioned that China has been increasing the number of launchers at most ICBM units, with an estimated 350 Chinese ICBMs, including DF-31 and DF-41, in 2022. Additionally, it noted that three new solid-propellant silo fields are under construction.
Team Bharatshakti
(With inputs from Reuters)
