Ballistic-missile target from Kratos supports THAAD exercise, say Army and MDA
NewsMay 29, 2018
U.S. ARMY WHITE SANDS MISSILE RANGE, N. M. The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the U.S. Army report that the Kratos Space & Missile Defense Systems (SMDS) -- a division of Kratos Defense & Security Solutions in San Diego -- successfully supported a tracking exercise involving the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in April 2018. THAAD is an element of the U.S. ballistic missile defense system intended to counter short- and medium-range ballistic missiles in the terminal phase.
The test -- identified as Flight Test Other 35 (FTX-35) -- was conducted using a short range ballistic missile (SRBM) target developed by Kratos and its partners in both government and industry. The Kratos single-stage SRBM target was launched from the southern end of the White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), was acquired and tracked by the THAAD system, flew a nominal trajectory, and then impacted on the range as planned.
During the exercise, Kratos personnel also participated in Kratos personnel mission planning, flight performance safety analysis, rocket and payload assembly, payload testing, vehicle buildup, and launch operations.
The recent exercise was also intended to demonstrate interoperability between the THAAD and Patriot ballistic missile defense systems.
