US conducts successful test to integrate missile-defense systems

The Defense Department’s Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said Friday it successfully linked its two main missile-defense systems during a test of upgraded software.

The test showed that two different weapons systems — the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) and Patriot weapons systems —  could communicate as an integrated system, the MDA said in a statement.

The exercise involved a simulated engagement of a short-range missile target launched from White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. The missile was detected and tracked by both weapons systems and the two systems exchange messages through tactical data links.

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The army has plans to integrate the two systems within two years, Stars and Stripes reported.

Integrated systems are crucial in South Korea, where the U.S. military operates both systems to defend against possible North Korean attacks.

“I am proud of today’s success in testing the interoperability of the THAAD and PATRIOT systems,” said MDA Director Lt. Gen. Samuel Greaves. “These two weapon systems are vitally important as components of our layered ballistic missile defense system and it is critical that they are able to transmit data and communicate with one another.”

The MDA noted that no live interceptors were launched during the test.

The test was a requirement of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, Stars and Stripes reported.