SM-3 racks up another kill. . .

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Yeah, all the good stuff stays secret, and Google Earth doesn’t have any of Digital Globe’s imagery showing the entire test range. Terra Server has it though, and you can look around to a degree using their online viewer. Same with Sary Shagan. GE doesn’t have the current test sites, but there is imagery available, and Terra Server has it.

Yeah but I’m pretty sure I’m not going to spot an S-400 intercept video on Terra Server. 😉

Yeah, all the good stuff stays secret, and Google Earth doesn’t have any of Digital Globe’s imagery showing the entire test range. Terra Server has it though, and you can look around to a degree using their online viewer. Same with Sary Shagan. GE doesn’t have the current test sites, but there is imagery available, and Terra Server has it.

The S-400 was in testing since the late 80s or early 90s. Given that the test program was predominately at Kapustin Yar, secrecy is no suprise. There’s a lot of stuff being tested down there that you don’t hear about.

I’m sure there is TONS we don’t hear about. That’s the problem dammit. 🙂

The S-400 was in testing since the late 80s or early 90s. Given that the test program was predominately at Kapustin Yar, secrecy is no suprise. There’s a lot of stuff being tested down there that you don’t hear about.

Yeah, the Russians aren’t shy releasing videos of other weapons platforms and they are marketing the S-300/S-400 aren’t they?

Yeah. Wasn’t trying to be a smartass but it’s always S-400 this and S-400 that and no videos. I’m not talking just the kind that show launches (though there aren’t any of those either) but the kind that show the missile all the way to the kill. PAC-3, THAAD, SM-3 and GBI all have those kinds of videos out there. Whenever they launch a Topol Putin himself practically announces the thing but no S-400. Hmmmm.

You’d think as much as they talk about the S-400 though there would be dozens of test videos out there.

Yeah, the Russians aren’t shy releasing videos of other weapons platforms and they are marketing the S-300/S-400 aren’t they?

The testing isn’t made “as public”, not “isn’t made public”. We pass along a lot more info regarding the test programs and test shots for the reasons I explained above. Russia doesn’t have to care, as they’re basically performing either training intercepts or system verification trials to make sure the missiles are still reliable. Beyond that, no new systems apart from the 45T6 maybe, should even be out there to be trialled. Hence, less news about Russian ABM testing, which cannot be used as an excuse to claim that Russia isn’t operating or developing newer systems.

You’d think as much as they talk about the S-400 though there would be dozens of test videos out there.

The testing isn’t made “as public”, not “isn’t made public”. We pass along a lot more info regarding the test programs and test shots for the reasons I explained above. Russia doesn’t have to care, as they’re basically performing either training intercepts or system verification trials to make sure the missiles are still reliable. Beyond that, no new systems apart from the 45T6 maybe, should even be out there to be trialled. Hence, less news about Russian ABM testing, which cannot be used as an excuse to claim that Russia isn’t operating or developing newer systems.

For one, the A-135 system was never going to be sold to anyone! But ABM testing is still conducted regularly at Sary Shagan in Kazakhstan. The difference is that a lot of the testing isn’t made as public as it is in the USA, where the justification for expense is far more politically visible. As for the S-500, they can’t seriously begin testing until 2015 I assume, as they aren’t required to have any hardware until then.

SOC, RIA Novosti has reported on Russian ABM testing on a number of occasions.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Umm…ok?

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Yep, right you and Aegis are. Ground launch of one of the Terrier sounding rocket targets. Guess someones numbers are off about the intercept height or the performance of the target rocket!.

Terrier Malemute only uses the Terrier booster. Orbital Sciences has cobbled together literally dozens of different combinations of old missile parts. On the other hand 160km altitude is apparently just doable with a standard Terrier As Target (TAT):

“In 1995, Hughes (now Raytheon) proposed to convert obsolete RIM-2 Terrier missiles, of which more than 2000 were in storage, to supersonic low-altitude target (SLAT) configuration as a replacement of and/or successor to the MQM-8 Vandal. At 10 m altitude, range would have been 40 km (22 nm) with the MK 30 motor, or 64 km (35 nm) with the new MK 104 dual-thrust motor. As a ballistic missile target, maximum altitude and range could be 85 km (280000 ft) and 275 km (150 nm), respectively (168 km/550 km with MK 104 motor).”

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-67.html

http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/RocketConfig.pdf

And the intercept:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFXpods_nro

Yep, right you and Aegis are. Ground launch of one of the Terrier sounding rocket targets. Guess someones numbers are off about the intercept height or the performance of the target rocket!.

They’ve used a few different types from memory – old Terriers, old Lances (presumably poached from the Army stocks) and even some old converted SM-2ER’s.

The Terrier Missile Targets I think are still going in a few different guises, but, the interception altitude on this one, circa 160km, sounds too high for them. Apogee for the Terrier targets was about 150km and you’d be expecting to catch the inbound somewhere prior to re-entry, but, on the way back down not bang on apogee I’d imagine!.

Also I’ve seen SRALT, and the medium range version, shots described as being launched ‘out of Kauai’ despite the fact that they were air-launched inside the range. Its strange that MDA dont list any of the other representative targets for SRBM’s as well!?.

Hopefully some nice shots will appear soon that will answer the question definitively. In any regard the tests, answering SOC’s question, were at the TBM end of the velocity spectrum not the other end!.

The KKV view up on youtube suggests something similar to one of these (it’s listed on the Orbital Sciences website as an available target):

http://sites.wff.nasa.gov/mpl/w_terriermalemute.html

Most of the Aegis BMD tests used ground launched missiles (used to be converted Terrier’s but I think those are all used up) on a ballistic profile.

This release from the MDA…

http://www.mda.mil/mdalink/pdf/09news0015.pdf

Suggests the missile was also ground launched.

They’ve used a few different types from memory – old Terriers, old Lances (presumably poached from the Army stocks) and even some old converted SM-2ER’s.

The Terrier Missile Targets I think are still going in a few different guises, but, the interception altitude on this one, circa 160km, sounds too high for them. Apogee for the Terrier targets was about 150km and you’d be expecting to catch the inbound somewhere prior to re-entry, but, on the way back down not bang on apogee I’d imagine!.

Also I’ve seen SRALT, and the medium range version, shots described as being launched ‘out of Kauai’ despite the fact that they were air-launched inside the range. Its strange that MDA dont list any of the other representative targets for SRBM’s as well!?.

Hopefully some nice shots will appear soon that will answer the question definitively. In any regard the tests, answering SOC’s question, were at the TBM end of the velocity spectrum not the other end!.

Targets are reported as simulating SRBM’s. Going by what the MDA releases that means it should be one of the Orbital SRALT’s that was used. SRALT is a single stage system (essentially the 2nd stage off an old Minuteman) converted for air-drop launch out the back of a C-17.

Think I saw a figure of about 3600mph quoted for re-entry velocity somewhere, so, on the TBM side not full-fat ICBM velocities. Hopefully someone can confirm that.

Most of the Aegis BMD tests used ground launched missiles (used to be converted Terrier’s but I think those are all used up) on a ballistic profile.

This release from the MDA…

http://www.mda.mil/mdalink/pdf/09news0015.pdf

Suggests the missile was also ground launched.

Considering how successful navy’s BMD are, why don’t the air force use the same system ?

Because the air force hasn’t had a SAM system since the Bomarc back in the 60s.

Targets are reported as simulating SRBM’s. Going by what the MDA releases that means it should be one of the Orbital SRALT’s that was used. SRALT is a single stage system (essentially the 2nd stage off an old Minuteman) converted for air-drop launch out the back of a C-17.

Think I saw a figure of about 3600mph quoted for re-entry velocity somewhere, so, on the TBM side not full-fat ICBM velocities. Hopefully someone can confirm that.

SRALT is a Coleman Aerospace product (part of L-3 IIRC). They also produce the higher performing LRALT.

What are these guys shooting at? Legit ICBM type targets, or something slower, along the lines of an MR/IRBM?

The thing isn’t designed to take out ICBMs so why would they be shooting at them? (yeah, I know, but that’s the story)