In Monday’s test of what the United States military calls Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air, the F-35B acted as an elevated sensor, detected an over-the-horizon target and sent data to a ground station connected to the Aegis-equipped USS Desert Ship, a land-based Navy vessel at White Sands, the release stated.
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The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps successfully tested the integration of two of their most advanced weapon platforms-the F-35B Lightning II and the Aegis Combat System-during a live fire missile exercise held at the White Sand Missile Range in New Mexico on September 13, according to a U.S. Navy press release.
Of central relevance not only to the program but to global security, Aegis coupled with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will provide unprecedented modular flexibility at sea for USA command authority and our allies as they shape responses to inevitable future crises.
“This test represents the start of our exploration into the interoperability of the F-35B with other naval assets”, said Lt. Col. Richard Rusnok, VMX-1 F-35B det. officer in charge.
Now tests at White Sands Missile Range are verifying this capabilty.
Lockheed Martin has a long track record of success in engineering, evolving and sustaining ballistic missile systems.
The target was then engaged and intercepted with a Standard Missile 6.
“NIFC-CA presents the ability to extend the range of your missile and extend the reach of your sensors by netting different sensors of different platforms – both sea-based and air-based together into one fire control system”, Capt. Mark Vandroff, DDG 51 program manager, told Scout Warrior in an interview previous year.
Aegis is considered to be one of the world’s most advanced combat systems offering integrated air and missile defense capabilities to the U.S. Navy’s surface warships.
While the goal of this test was to prove the compatibility of these systems within existing NIFC-CA architecture, this future capability will extend the Navy’s engagement range to detect, analyze and intercept targets in operational settings.
The SM-6 also has anti-ship capabilities, suggesting that the U.S. Navy could use the NIFC-CA system to target enemy surface units as well. Having this capability could impact discussion about a Pentagon term referred to as Anti-Acces/Area-Denial, wherein potential adversaries could use long-range weapons to threaten the US military and prevent its ships from operating in certain areas – such as closer to the coastline.
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The SM-6 can knock out enemy aircraft, as well as incoming ballistic missiles. The emerging DF-21D is reportedly able to strike targets as far as 900 nautical miles off shore.
