Missile Defense Agency officials said they successfully completed a flight test of a short-range air-launched target missile over the Pacific Ocean about 500 miles off the coast of southern California. A C-17 deployed the missile from its rear via a parachute assembly, validating a redesigned deployment mechanism meant to correct problems identified during previous tests, according to the agency’s release. After SRALT left the aircraft, its rocket motor ignited and sent the missile on its planned over-water trajectory. Missile defense sensors based in California tracked the missile during the July 8 test, as did the MDA’s two Space Tracking Surveillance System demonstration satellites. “This was the first demonstration of stereo acquisition and track handover of a short-range target by the STSS,” according to the release. The agency intends to use SRALT in tracking and shootdown tests of the nation’s ballistic missile defense system.
Air Force Munitions Gets Big Boost from Reconciliation
June 28, 2025
Thanks to reconciliation, the fiscal 2026 Air Force budget would get a surge of munitions procurement, but it's not yet clear if the production increase will be sustained. The Air Force revealed the secret AIM-260 air-to-air missile's funding for the first time.