A Standard Missile-3 Block IIA is loaded into the Vertical Launch System on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in preparation for Flight Experiment Mission-02.
The ASRC Federal team supported the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) intercept of a ballistic missile target from Andersen Air Force Base (AFB), Guam. The groundbreaking test, named Flight Experiment Mission (FEM)-02, was conducted in December 2024 and was the first ballistic missile defense event executed from Guam, a U.S. territory in the Indo-Pacific vital to our Nation’s military strategy.
For the test, the Aegis Guam System (AGS) with an AN/TPY-6 radar and Vertical Launching System fired a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA interceptor, which then destroyed an air-launched Medium Range Ballistic Missile target deployed off the coast of Andersen AFB. The AN/TPY-6 radar tracked the target, after launch to intercept, in the first end-to-end tracking use of the radar.
The success of FEM-02 underscores the advanced capabilities of AGS to counter regional missile threats and expand joint all-domain operations in the Indo-Pacific. The system’s integration with cutting-edge radar and interceptor technology provides the Department of Defense with a powerful system to protect Guam and support broader regional security objectives.
“Intercepting ballistic missiles is a complex feat – essentially hitting a bullet with a bullet. The test was a validation of the Aegis Guam System and demonstrates the operational readiness and effectiveness of the system to defend the strategic island,” said Bruce Heinrich, vice president and general manager, ASRC Federal Mission Solutions. “The ASRC Federal team is proud to have supported this achievement, and we look forward to further delivering critical capabilities for this important mission.”
Learn more about this flight experiment in MDA’s announcement, Defense News article and video.
