Australia successfully test-fires ground-based SM-2 missile with Aegis integration

Published Jul 10, 04:20 PM UTC

Australia's Department of Defence announced on July 9, 2026, that it conducted a successful live-fire test of a prototype ground-based air defense system in June at the Woomera Test Range. The test involved a CEA Technologies radar, a Virtualised Aegis Weapon System, and a Royal Australian Navy SM-2 missile fired from a trailer-mounted Expeditionary Launch System (Derringer). The missile intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile target. This marked the first pairing of an Australian-made radar with the US Navy's Aegis Combat System in a ground-based configuration. The test was part of Exercise Taipan Strike 2026, led by the Royal Australian Air Force. The announcement came days after China test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile in the Pacific, highlighting Australia's air defense gaps. The prototype is intended to inform future acquisition decisions under Australia's 2026 National Defence Strategy.