Raytheon Key in Successful Ballistic Missile Intercept in Space

摘要

Raytheon Co. compo-nents built under contract to the Boeing Co., the prime contractor for the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, played key roles in the destruction of a ballistic missile target during GMD's latest successful flight test conducted September 28,rnby the US Missile Defense Agency. Raytneon-built Exoat-mospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) intercepted the ballistic target in space over the eastern Pacific Ocean. The Raytheon-developed Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR) at Beale Air Force Base, CA, successfully tracked the target system for approximately 15 minutes during its flight down range to the intercept point, several hundred miles west of California. The Raytheon-developed X-band Radar (XBR), the primary payload of the Sea-based X-band Radar (SBX), actively participated in this test by tracking, discriminating and assessing the target. While in flight, the EKV received target updates from the In-flight Interceptor Communication System and performed a star shot to calibrate its own position. The EKV observed the target complex with its advanced multicolor infrared seeker and successfully selected the target from other objects in space. During the end game, as the target grew in the seekers field of view, the EKV selected the aim point and maneuvered for a direct, lethal hit.