"...The Aegis defense system works as part of a broader U.S. missile defense architecture comprised of space and land-based sensors. For example, destroyers can be positioned around the Korean peninsula to detect ballistic missile launches; those same ships can also be outfitted with SM-3 interceptors that are capable of destroying ballistic missiles during their midcourse phase of flight — that is, when they’re in space.
Ballistic missile defense is not as simple as positioning a couple of DDGs around a contested region..."
Reference: taskandpurpose.com
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| Photo: U.S. Navy |
"...The Cook is the first of four American destroyers to move to Rota over the next two years, each equipped with Aegis radar system and SM-3 missiles capable of intercepting medium-range ballistic missiles. Together the ships will form the centerpiece of Europe’s Phased Adaptive Approach program, a missile shield with radar in Turkey, a command element in Germany, and ground-based interceptors in Romania and Poland. ..."
Reference: www.stripes.com
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"...Those Standard Missile 3 interceptors aboard U.S. and Japanese Aegis destroyers are made by Raytheon. And a version of those SM-3 missiles will soon be put together at the $75 million plant the company is building on Redstone Arsenal...."
Reference: al.com .