ORLANDO, Fla., Nov. 6 (UPI) -- The air and missile defense system of MEADS International successfully intercepted and destroyed two targets attacking simultaneously from opposite directions.
The test on Wednesday of the Medium Extended Air Defense System at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico was an unprecedented display of the system's capabilities, the company said.
"Today's successful flight test is the culmination of three countries working together to design, develop and build the most advanced and capable air and missile defense weapon system in the world," said NATO MEADS Management Agency General Manager Gregory Kee. "No fielded ground‐mobile AMD System can intercept targets from two directions at the same time, as MEADS did today,
"MEADS technology can now be leveraged as mature, network-ready battle management, sensors and launchers to achieve the networked AMD capabilities envisioned by Germany, Italy and the United States."
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MEADS is a ground-mobile air and missile defense system under NATO management to replace the Patriot missile system used by the United States and Germany and the Nike Hercules system used by Italy. MEADS International, a multinational joint venture, is the prime contractor for the MEADS system. Major subcontractors and joint venture partners are MBDA in Italy and Germany, and Lockheed Martin in the United States.
The system tested consisted of a 360-degree surveillance radar, a networked battle manager, two lightweight launchers firing PAC-3 Missile Segment Enhancement Missiles and a 360-degree multi-function fire control radar.
The first target intercepted and destroyed was a QF-4 air-breathing drone – an unmanned version of the F-4 Phantom fighter. The second target was a Lance tactical ballistic missile attacking simultaneously from the opposite direction. The surveillance radar acquired both targets and provided target cues to the MEADS battle manager, which generated cue commands for the fire control radar and the firing of the missiles.
"The MEADS program continues to meet or exceed its commitments," said MEADS International President Dave Berganini. "Now we're thrilled to demonstrate an unprecedented dual-intercept that has met test."
