3 more ships to be converted for BMD role

A Standard Missile-3 is launched in June 2006 from the cruiser Shiloh during a joint Missile Defense Agency, Navy ballistic missile flight test.


3 more ships to be converted for BMD role
By Christopher P. Cavas - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 7, 2009 19:45:26 EST

Three more Aegis warships will be upgraded to take on the ballistic missile defense (BMD) role, bringing the number of ships with the capability to 21, Pentagon and industry sources confirmed Wednesday.

The ships — two cruisers and one destroyer — will all be from the Atlantic Fleet, Lisa Callahan, Lockheed Martin’s vice president for Maritime Ballistic Missile Defense programs, told reporters during a teleconference about Lockheed’s BMD programs.

Chris Taylor, a spokesman for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) — which oversees all Pentagon BMD programs — would not confirm that three ships have been selected, but acknowledged that “MDA and the Navy are discussing how to do two to four additional ships as soon as possible.”

The Navy would make no official comment on the situation. But one source said “two to four” more ships would receive the upgrade. Pending notifications to Congress, an announcement might come as soon as next week, the source said.

Previously, the Navy and Lockheed have upgraded three cruisers and 15 destroyers with the ability to track and intercept enemy ballistic missiles. The Aegis BMD upgrade costs approximately $10 million to $12 million per ship, and includes new Aegis software and minor hardware adjustments.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2009/01/defense_BMD_ships_010709w/%2e