Australia has conducted its first live test of a ground-based air defence system based on the Aegis Weapon System during Exercise Taipan Strike 26 at the Woomera Range, in cooperation with the United States and Lockheed Martin.
The system successfully detected, tracked and intercepted an airborne target by integrating an Australian radar developed by CEA Technologies with a field command-and-control system and a mobile ground-based launcher.
The test used the Derringer launcher to fire an SM-2 missile as part of Australia’s Medium-Range Ground-Based Air Defence (MRGBAD) programme. The programme aims to develop a multi-layered air defence network capable of protecting Australian forces and critical infrastructure while enhancing the country’s ability to counter missiles, unmanned aerial systems and other modern airborne threats.
