Japan’s JS ATAGO warship, supported by the US Navy, Missile Defense Agency and Lockheed Martin used an upgraded Aegis Combat System in testing their Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability for the first time.
The JS ATAGO is now the most advanced warship in the Japanese fleet following this modernisation . The JS ATAGO Aegis Weapon System merges BMD into an Integrated Air and Missile Defense capability using commercial-off-the-shelf and open architecture technologies including the Aegis Common Source Library (CSL).
The upgrade means the vessel is the the first international ship to benefit from the CSL, which allows far greater interoperability across the fleet, reducing development training and sustainment costs. It also improves flexibility in crew assignments.
This successful BMD test builds upon joint research investments by the United States and Japan. Lockheed Martin is developing a Baseline 9 variant computer program for deployment on Japan’s newest Aegis destroyers.
Mary Keifer, Director, Lockheed Martin’s Aegis International programs, Integrated Warfare Systems and Sensors, said: “I commend the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force for their commitment to affordability and innovation. This baseline modernization effort streamlined their lifetime support costs and provided a means to gain advanced BMD capability.”
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