The 418th Flight Test Squadron, Global Reach Combined Test Force, successfully supported the Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Department of Defense partners during a recent fight intercept experiment in Guam.
Announced Dec. 10 by the Missile Defense agency, the landmark test involved a live intercept of a ballistic missile target, marking the first Ballistic Missile Defense event executed from the territory.
During the flight experiment, the Aegis Guam System integrated with the new AN/TPY-6 radar and Vertical Launching System and fired a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA which intercepted an air-launched Medium Range Ballistic Missile target off the coast of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The AN/TPY-6 radar tracked the target shortly after launch to intercept in the first end-to-end tracking use of the radar during a live ballistic missile flight test.
Designated Flight Experiment Mission-02, this test event marks a pivotal step taken in defense of Guam initiatives and partnerships and provides critical support to the overall concept, requirements validation, data-gathering and model maturation for the future Guam Defense System (GDS). The future is focused on defending Guam and protecting forces from any potential regional missile threats.
“This is a tremendous group effort and provides a glimpse of how organizations within the Department of Defense have come together to defend our homeland Guam now and, in the future,” said Lt. Gen. Heath Collins, MDA Director. “Collectively, we will use this to build upon and validate joint tracking architecture and integrated air and missile defense capabilities for Guam. Thanks to all of those involved, especially the people and government of Guam.”
When called upon, the 418th FLTS, a flight test squadron within the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base, provides robust support for the Missile Defense Agency as the USAF’s recognized leader for developmental flight test and evaluation of mobility aircraft, experimental airdrop, and air refueling certification. With FEM-02’s strategic importance, MDA specifically requested to partner with the 418th FLTS to ensure the highest level of safe and successful test planning and execution within the C-17 enterprise.
The 418th took possession of an Air Mobility Command C-17 in November, with special instrumentation and maintenance teams modifying the aircraft to interface within the Medium Range Ballistic Missile Launch equipment. This allowed the C-17 to collect critical data during testing. The 412th Test Wing’s renowned safety and risk management process was simultaneously implemented to ensure every component was analyzed for maximum risk reduction.
“The 418th Flight Test Squadron and Global Reach Combined Test Force have partnered with MDA for over a decade, providing air-launch capabilities and airdropped threat-representative surrogate targets” notes Lt. Col. Daniel Edelstein, commander, 418th FLTS. “The 412th Test Wing is highly experienced with high-altitude, experimental airdrop test campaigns, and these tests are designed to stress the nation’s multi-domain ballistic missile defense systems. Our test aircrew, engineers, program management, and logistics support are second-to-none. We took great pride in providing risk-informed test expertise to our mission partners in support of a USINDOPACOM capabilities exercise with outsized strategic importance.”
FEM-02 is the first demonstration from Guam as part of the long-term initiative for the defense of the U.S. territory and will inform the larger effort to develop, install and operate GDS, which would be comprised of a combination of DoD service components working together to provide an Enhanced Integrated Air and Missile Defense system. Together, the DoD service components would develop and deploy a persistent layered integrated air and missile defense capability.
Within the context of homeland defense, a top priority for the Department of Defense, Guam is also a strategic location for sustaining and maintaining U.S. military presence, deterring adversaries, responding to crises, and maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
