Raytheon and Northrop Grumman Products Succeed in Missile Defense Test

The Huntsville Times reports that the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) successfully conducted a test of the Ground Based Interceptor missile defense system. A target manufactured by Orbital was launched from a U.S. Air Force facility on Kodiak Island, AK and intercepted by a missile launched from Vandenberg AFB in California. This was the first test that utilized the fire control base in Alaska located near the deployed interceptors. Raytheon and Northrop Grumman manufacture key parts of the system including the radar, the kill vehicle, parts of the missile and the fire control software and system. This system is designed to intercept larger and long range missile systems. The U.S. Navy also operates a ship based system that was demonstrated recently with the destruction of an old U.S Air Force satellite.