SM-3 intercepts ballistic missile

A Raytheon-built Standard Missile-3 intercepted a medium-range ballistic missile target at sea as part of a multinational operational exercise off the coast of Scotland.

CAPTION: Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Donald Cook fires a Standard Missile 3 during exercise Formidable Shield 2017. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Theron J. Godbold.

The takedown happened during the NATO-led Exercise Formidable Shield 17 – an integrated air and missile-defense exercise simulating real-life threat scenarios.

The event, supported by the US Missile Defense Agency and US Navy, was designed to evaluate the ability of allied navies’ ballistic-missile and air-warfare defences to work together quickly and effectively to defeat incoming threats.

The exercise also included intercepts by Standard Missile-2 and Evolved Seasparrow missiles in simulated engagements of cruise missiles.

“Real-world events demand real-world testing,” Raytheon Missile Systems president Taylor Lawrence said.

“Strong cooperation between allied nations and industry helps ensure we are ready to defeat complex threats around the world.

“Raytheon’s innovative and trusted solutions are designed to protect the US and its allies from ever-advancing threats.”

Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States were among the NATO nations that participated in the exercise off Scotland.

Exercise Formidable Shield built upon a previous at-sea demonstration in 2015, with a focus on real-world operations.

SM-3 interceptors are deployed at sea as part of the US contribution to Europe’s ballistic missile defense.

A land-based SM-3 site became fully operational in Romania in 2016, and a site in Poland is expected to come on line next year.

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