US Navy certifies Aegis Baseline 9.C1
The latest evolution of the Aegis Combat System, Baseline 9.C1, has been certified by the US Navy and Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for the US destroyer fleet, the Lockheed Martin announced on 11 January.
Aegis Baseline 9.C1 is set to provide the US Navy surface fleet with an even more advanced air defence capability. Baseline 9.C1 includes the Balistic Missile Defense (BMD) 5.0 Capability Upgrade, which provides the capability to shoot down ballistic missiles in both the endo-atmosphere (lower atmosphere) and exo-atmosphere (upper atmosphere).
The BMD capabilities of Baseline 9.C1 are also present in Aegis Ashore, the ground-based missile defence programme that is the second phase of the US Phased Adaptive Approach to protect Europe from ballistic missile attack.
Baseline certification follows testing and verification of recent BMD upgrades performed by the navy and the MDA. Over the course of the four test events aboard USS John Paul Jones, Aegis detected, tracked, and engaged two ballistic missile and two air warfare targets, with each event resulting in the successful intercept of a single target.
Jim Sheridan, director of Aegis program, Lockheed Martin, said: ‘The Aegis Combat System Baseline 9.C1 offers unprecedented capabilities, including simultaneous air and ballistic missile defence. This Aegis baseline also improves Aegis networking capabilities, allowing Aegis vessels to automatically coordinate defence with input from satellite and ground-based radar assets—forming a true shield of defence over a wide area.’
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement]()
What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
-
![Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration]()
Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration
The UK Royal Navy’s rapid procurement of uncrewed platforms aligns with the force’s strategic shift towards a fleet better equipped to handle modern threats.
-
![HMS Anson’s milestone stay in Australia cut short during AUKUS deployment]()
HMS Anson’s milestone stay in Australia cut short during AUKUS deployment
The Astute-class submarine’s visit to Australia was the first time maintenance activity on a UK Royal Navy nuclear submarine had been carried out in the country.
-
![How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China]()
How Operation Epic Fury could reduce US readiness to face China
The offensive against Iran could impact training and maintenance cycles and accelerate the degradation of the US arsenal on top of depleting Washington’s stockpiles.
-
![UK Royal Navy explores modular counter-drone capabilities for future hybrid fleet]()
UK Royal Navy explores modular counter-drone capabilities for future hybrid fleet
The UK MoD is scoping out systems to counter the growing threat of uncrewed aerial systems, with a focus on low-cost modularity and speed to field.
