Aegis Weapon System
The Aegis Weapon System is the world’s most capable naval defense system and the sea-based element of the United States’ Ballistic Missile Defense System. The Aegis Weapon System can simultaneously attack land targets, submarines, and surface ships while automatically implementing defenses to protect the fleet against aircraft and missiles.
Aegis is fielded on 75 U.S. Navy Cruisers and Destroyers. Installation of the Aegis system is proceeding on an additional 9 U.S. Navy Destroyers, and the U.S. Navy is planning to budget additional Aegis-equipped ships. Aegis is also the weapon system of choice for the navies of Australia, Japan, Norway, Spain and the Republic of Korea.
Since the first Aegis ship was commissioned in 1983, the government and industry have invested in a continuous process of technology upgrades in order to keep pace with the evolving threat. This process has ensured superior performance for more than 25 years.
As the fleet of in-service Aegis ships ages, and the threat increases, modernization to improve the combat capability of existing ships is essential. To ensure these ships remain capable and relevant, two modernization programs are currently in place: Cruiser Modernization, which will upgrade all 22 Aegis Cruisers from 2008 to 2016, and the Destroyer Modernization program, which will upgrade up to 62 Destroyers beginning in 2012. These programs will improve warfighting capabilities, extend hull service life, and reduce total ownership cost through the fielding of Open Architecture and commercial computing technologies.
Cruiser Modernization Program – ACB 08
The Navy’s Cruiser (CG) Modernization Program will replace the ships’ UYK7-based military standard computing environment (with little-to-no expansion capability) with an upgradable, commercial-based (i.e., commercial off-the-shelf, or COTS) computing infrastructure incorporating Aegis Open Architecture (OA). The Aegis OA configuration makes it feasible to backfit future warfighting capability upgrades and reuse components from other Navy programs in a cost effective manner.
The modernization of the Aegis fleet’s oldest Cruiser, USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), completed in February 2009, and the ship is on track for certification later this year.
Destroyer Modernization Program – ACB 12
The Destroyer Modernization Program builds off the Cruiser Modernization foundation, incorporating additional COTS technologies and combat system upgrades. This program will form a single OA “superset” computer program for use in all U.S. Aegis ships.
Initially, Flight I Destroyers (DDG 51-71) will be modernized, with first fielding in FY12 on DDG 51 and DDG 53. Following FY12, Destroyers will be modernized at a rate of three per year.
A major capability upgrade is Multi-Mission Ballistic Missile Defense – BMD 5.0 – allowing the migration of Aegis BMD capability to Aegis Open Architecture and the incorporation of the Multi-Mission Signal Processor (MMSP). Aegis BMD was developed for and fielded on the Aegis Baseline 5 military standard computing environment, and would be isolated in unique, closed computer programs without provisions to integrate BMD into the Destroyer Modernization program.
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