Ground-Based Defender Didn't Recognize Threat

A ground-based missile interceptor test at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California was cancelled Friday, when the target missile failed.

Riki Ellison, president of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance (MDAA) attended the test and was a little upset by the situation. In a letter to MDAA members, he wrote "It is of great disappointment and frustration that today's scheduled ground-based interceptor test did not take place as the incoming target missile failed after launch this morning."

Ellison describes what happened as "an anomaly" that occurred shortly after the missile's launch from Kodiak Island, AK, between the first and second rocket stages. This caused the target missile to fail to gain the altitude and range necessary to intercept the 30 square mile target zone covered by the defense system.

"Because the involved ground based missile defense system that was to be tested today could not and did not recognize a ballistic missile threat to the defended area, the system did not engage," Ellison wrote. "This system includes the ground-based interceptor in Vandenberg AFB, sensors/radars most notably the Beale AFB Upgraded Early Warning Radar in California and the battle management command and control in Colorado Springs, Colorado."

"The ground-based long range missile defense system could not prove its capability today as it is reliant on a real ballistic missile threat to its defended area. This capability needs to continue to be proven as the redundancy and realistic operational tests gives confidence to our public, our government, our allies and our enemies in missile defense," he said.

The letter went on to say, "It is very frustrating that it will take an additional few months, or more, to allocate and put another target missile back into Kodiak Island to test our ground-based long-range ballistic missile system. We would strongly urge and support those responsible for the target ballistic missiles to fix the anomaly and address the aging ballistic target missile fleets, so that they become more reliant as they are critical in proving our technology and capability advancements in missile defense.

"We must continue to develop, test and deploy missile defense."

FMI: www.missiledefenseadvocacy.org