AEGIS BMD History

Programmatic and Technical

Work in progress. Check back as archives get scanned and uploaded.
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This is the technical page, see also the people page.

Overview

A Short History of AEGIS BMD (Needs update)

Flight Test History (Work in progress)
Last MDA-published data sheet (July 28, 2016)
Wikipedia version

Why Did AEGIS BMD Succeed? – unpublished white paper
With the deck stacked against success, how did AEGIS BMD become the US BMD workhorse? This was inspired by the same summary in the Boslaugh book, but without first developing the complete story.

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Items in (generally) reverse chronological order

MDA Director Says SM-3 Block IIA Ready for Production, Unrelated to Japan’s Decision to Back Out of Aegis Ashore – Megan Eckstein – USNI News – June 19, 2020

Integrated Air And Missile Defense – Johns Hopkins Apl Technical Digest – Volume 35, Number 2 (2020)

After consecutive failures, watch US Navy intercept test missile with SM-3 weapon – Aaron Mehta – Defense News – Oct 26, 2018

SM-3 Block IB Development History – ca 2017
Forensic look at sequence of events in IB development

SM-3 Block Evolution – Raytheon slide deck – ca 2016

ABMD Timeline – ca 2011

Extending the Navy’s Shield: Sea-Based Ballistic-Missile Defense – Rear Admiral Alan B. Hicks, USN – Proceedings – Jan 2007

AEGIS BMD DR Trace – circa 2005
Trace of program development 1994-2005 as shown in contemporary slide decks

AEGIS LEAP Intercept – Troy Kimmel – unpublished report – October 2004
Early history of the BMD capability.

AEGIS BMD Bell Dedication Ceremony – Program – Nov 13, 2003

2003 Initial Contract Approach

Air Defense Part III – Battle Force Engineering – Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest – Volume 23, Number 2-3 (April–September 2002)
– Our Navy—Like Our Lives—Is Continuous – RADM Wayne E. Meyer, USN (Ret.)
– A Comparison of Tactical Ballistic Missile Defense Engagement Coordination Schemes – Simon Moskowitz, Rebecca J. Gassler, and Bart L. Paulhamus

Air Defense Part II — Combat Systems – Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest – Volume 22, Number 4 (October–December 2001)
– A Beginning or Just a Change in Course? – RADM Wayne E. Meyer (Ret.)
– APL’s Contributions to Aegis Programs: An Overview – John G. Wilkinson Jr.
– Overview of the Fire Control Loop Process for Aegis LEAP Intercept – Mark A. Landis

Air Defense Part I — Missile Defense – Johns Hopkins APL Technical Digest – Volume 22, Number 3 (July–September 2001)
– Standard Missile: A Cornerstone of Navy Theater Air Missile Defense – Matthew Montoya
– Exo-atmospheric Intercepts: Bringing New Challenges to Standard Missile – Gary A. Sullins
– Testing the SM-3 Kinetic Warhead in the Guidance System Evaluation Laboratory – Scott A. Gearhart

Service writing new program strategy: Navy Theater Wide Gets DAB Approval; Gansler Asks For Block II Definition – Thomas Duffy – Inside the Pentagon – May 6, 1999
– Includes DAB decision memo
– Discussion of the OR and single-mission ships

Ready for Sea – Ballistic Missile Defense Study Findings on Navy Theater Wide 1994 – 1998

Navy Theater-Wide Defense AEGIS LEAP Intercept (ALI)/STANDARD Missile Three (SM-3) Flight Test Program Overview – Scott D Robinson – 6th Annual AIAA/BMDO Technology Readiness Conference – August 1997

TBMD Acquisition Plan: Cost Too High To Compete Theater-Wide Demo – Thomas Duffy – Inside Missile Defense – August 13, 1997
– Rationale for SMCo, workshare and contracting strategy. Short-lived, as Raytheon purchased Hughes, subsumed and relocated the project to the desert.

Risk reduction funding needs further study: OSD Sets FY-03 Milestone II Timetable For Navy Theater-Wide Missile Defense Program – Thomas Duffy – Inside Missile Defense – May 21, 1997
– Includes OIPT Decision Memo
– Sidebar on concern that LEAP strategy does not allow for competition

Navy LEAP Lessons Learned Summary – Hughes Report – May 31, 1995