Lockheed’s Aegis Combat System Counters Hypersonic Threat in US Navy Test

Lockheed Martin has demonstrated the hypersonic defense capabilities of its Aegis Combat System in a US Navy test conducted aboard the USS Pinckney destroyer.

The live exercise, dubbed Flight Test Other-40 (FTX-40) or “Stellar Banshee,” simulated a real-world engagement with a hypersonic medium-range ballistic missile target.

Supported by the Missile Defense Agency and industry partners, the demonstration involved using the Aegis system with a simulated SM-6 Block IAU interceptor to detect, track, and engage the hypersonic threat.

The Aegis multi-mission combat system combines various sensors and weapons to provide integrated air and missile defense with both sea-based and land-based configurations.

It features an automated command-and-control system that manages the entire process, from detecting threats to eliminating them.

“Our ability to defeat maneuvering, hypersonic missiles is critical if we are to defend our homeland and our forces against an increasingly dangerous threat,” said Heath Collins, Director of the Missile Defense Agency.

Previous Contracts and Tests

Lockheed Martin has made key advancements in missile defense technology, improving the Aegis system’s integration capabilities to meet diverse operational requirements.

In January, Lockheed Martin delivered the first AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar antenna for an Aegis-equipped vessel to Japan.

In May last year, the American company announced the first-ever launch of a Patriot PAC-3 missile segment enhancement interceptor using the Virtualized Aegis Weapon System.

In 2022, the company demonstrated the integration of its SPY-7 radar into the Aegis system, improving processing capabilities to detect, track, and neutralize ballistic missile threats.