The Aegis weapon control system and Standard Missile interceptors took down two missiles simultaneously, in an exercise called Stellar Daggers.

Interceptors from the USS Benfold (DDG 65) took out a short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) in its terminal phase of flight, and a low-flying anti-ship cruise missile, that were detected and tracked at the same time by the Aegis system. Traditionally, Aegis has been a system mainly taking out enemy threats in their midcourse of ballistic trajectory flights.

A Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IV was used to take out the SRBM, while an SM-2 Block IIIA killed the cruise missile.

The overall objective of Stellar Daggers was to test the Aegis system’s sea-based ability to simultaneously detect, track, engage and destroy multiple incoming air and ballistic missile threats during terminal or final phase of flight.

This was the first test of the Aegis system ability to intercept both an SRBM in terminal phase and a low-altitude cruise missile target at the same time.

Because the Aegis-SM system already is favored by many lawmakers in both parties in Congress, the successful test is unlikely to affect funding decisions for the sea-based missile defense system for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2009. The Aegis system, which is operational, is built by Lockheed Martin Corp. [LMT], while the SM family of interceptors is produced by Raytheon Co. [RTN].

Rather, budget cuts will be aimed at other missile defense systems, which are made by The Boeing Co. [BA]. They are the in-development Airborne Laser and the already-deployed Ground-based Midcourse Defense systems, which are to protect the United States, its forces and allies against enemy long-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles, and the proposed European Missile Defense system to guard against missiles launched by Middle Eastern nations such as Iran toward targets in Europe or the United States.

In the test last week, the ballistic missile target was launched from San Nicolas Island, Calif., while the anti-ship cruise missile target was launched from Point Mugu, Calif.

"These intercepts once again prove SM-2, whatever the mission, is the best option for protecting our warfighters at sea," said Frank Wyatt, a Raytheon Missile Systems vice president. "SM-2 Block IV can destroy incoming short-range ballistic missiles through direct impact or by detonating a blast-fragmentation warhead close to the target. SM-2 Block IIIA offers the best advanced fleet protection against all air warfare threats."

This was the third test of the modified SM-2 Block IV missile against short range ballistic missiles and the latest in a series of tests using the SM-2 Block IIIA. Raytheon is also working with the Missile Defense Agency to develop a far-term, sea-based terminal capability.