Raytheon lends support to NATO-led ballistic missile defence exercise

Maritime October 23, 2017

A NATO-led multinational operational exercise has taken place off the coast of Scotland, during which a Raytheon built Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) intercepted a ballistic missile target at sea.

Dubbed ‘Formidable Shield 17’, this was an integrated air and missile defence exercise aimed at replicating real-life threat scenarios. With support from the US Missile Defence Agency and US Navy, Formidable Shield 17 was conceived to evaluate the capabilities of allied navy ballistic missile and air warfare defences. Could they work together to quickly and effectively overcome an incoming threat?

“Real-world events demand real-world testing,” said Dr Taylor Lawrence, Raytheon Missile Systems President. “Strong cooperation between allied nations and industry helps ensure we are ready to defeat complex threats around the world.”

In addition to the SM-3 intercept, Standard Missile-2 and Evolved Seasparrow Missile conducted simulated target engagements of cruise missiles.

Raytheon is entrusted with protecting the US and its allies from ever-encroaching threats. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States were among the many NATO nations taking part in Formidable Shield 17. The exercise built upon a previous ‘At Sea Demonstration’ held in 2015, which held a similar focus on real-world operations.

The SM-3 interceptor was deployed at sea as part of the US contribution to Europe’s ballistic missile defence. The first land-based SM-3 site became fully operational in Romania during 2016, with a second Polish site expected to enter into service next year.

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