Missile Defense Quick Links for Friday
**The U.S. Air Force announced that an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was successfully test-fired earlier this week. Launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, the ICBM hit its target over the Pacific Ocean near the Marshall Islands.
Lt. Col. Lesa Toler, 576th Flight Test Squadron commander and the mission director, said, “The fact that we can randomly select an on-alert operational ICBM from any missile wing and launch it without making any modifications to the components to hit a bulls-eye target is a testament to the system’s reliability.” (AP)
**The U.S. Navy has announced the successful interception of a ballistic missile target over the Pacific Ocean, the first Third Fleet operation firing to use the Standard Missile-3 against a ballistic target.
Vice Adm. Samuel J. Locklear, Commander, U.S. Third Fleet, called the engagement “extraordinary” and that it “highlights the successful transition from developmental test flights to operational fleet execution and demonstrates the viability of the Maritime BMD Concept of Operations.” (SPX)
**Sources report that Bahrain is conducting a missile defense exercise with the U.S. According to Bahrain’s official news agency, the exercise is a joint effort with the U.S. Central Command to “boost military cooperation.” The Persian Gulf country has a cooperative agreement with our country’s military. (AFP)
**Earlier this week, a Japanese newspaper reported that the government was “moving towards” launching an early warning missile defense satellite. The newspaper said it received a draft of the ballistic missile defense plan, which contains information about deploying an early warning satellite that would monitor and warn against offensive missile launches. (UPI)
Tags: Air Force, Bahrain, Japan, Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile, Navy, Standard Missile-3