MDA Sets Ground Test Of Many BMD Systems Beginning This Week

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) will begin a ground test involving many U.S. ballistic missile defense (BMD) systems, plus input from allied nations, MDA announced.

The test will include all fielded sensors, command and control, battle management and communications, and interceptor locations.

The exercise will aim to demonstrate and evaluate overall system performance, along with tactics, techniques and procedures.

The exercise will begin this week, and is scheduled for completion within two weeks.?Participating will be MDA assets, including elements and personnel from the Strategic Command, Northern Command, Pacific Command, Army, Navy and Air Force.

Further, British and Canadian elements and personnel also will participate, according to MDA.

BMD elements will include the Cobra Dane radar at Shemya, Alaska; the Sea-based X-band radar, now in the Pacific Ocean; the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense fire control nodes at the Missile Defense Integration and Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. and Fort Greely, Alaska; and interceptor missile sites at Fort Greely and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

As well, radars aboard Navy Aegis ships also will participate in the exercise, along with interceptor fire control systems aboard the ships.