MDA News Releases:

On 27 January, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and U.S. Navy Aegis Technical Representative (TECHREP) witnessed the successful demonstration of the first software release of the Japanese J7.B Aegis Weapon System equipped with SPY-7 radar in Moorestown, New Jersey.

Overall, there has been significant program progress since Japan’s Aegis SPY-7 system selection in July 2018, and this demonstration completes a major milestone in the Japan Missile Defense program. The demonstration showed Aegis baseline J7.B with SPY-7 has the capability to perform ballistic missile defense search, track, and discrimination of a threat representative Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) target. The demonstration positioned the system at-sea and enabled operation of all four SPY-7 array faces. It is the first major software delivery planned for the Japan Missile Defense program and will be applicable to a maritime platform currently under consideration by the Government of Japan.

MDA Director Vice Adm. Jon Hill said, “With this demonstration, MDA has confirmed that the integration of SPY-7 into the Japanese Aegis architecture is going very well and that all expected performance criteria are being met. This ongoing and important integration work remains on schedule, and will continue to add increasing capability for Japan to defend itself against regional missile threats.”

The SPY-7 radar uses equipment and software derived from the MDA’s Long Range Discriminating Radar (LRDR). LRDR is on track for delivery and Initial Operational Capability in 2021, having completed all major production activities as well as array panel and equipment installation in Clear, Alaska. MDA is planning to upgrade LRDR for additional missions in space domain awareness and hypersonic tracking as well as implementing cost reduction initiatives. These modifications are feasible without changing the hardware design…

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