"On Friday, the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Oscar Austin fired at least one SM-3, or Standard Missile-3, interceptor to bring down an Iranian ballistic missile in Turkish airspace, a defense official told Business Insider. It marked the third time since February 28, when the US and Israel started striking Iran, that a Navy destroyer has used an SM-3 to down an Iranian missile in Turkish airspace."
"Turkey hosts several important bases for American and NATO forces, including Incirlik and Konya air bases, and an Iranian strike against those facilities could trigger a significant escalation in a war that has already spread across the Middle East."
"The SM-3 uses a kinetic kill vehicle to destroy short- to intermediate-range missiles during the midcourse phase of flight. It can engage targets in space, unlike other interceptors."
US Navy destroyers operating in the Eastern Mediterranean have deployed SM-3 interceptors to defend NATO airspace against Iranian ballistic missiles. The USS Oscar Austin fired at least one SM-3 on Friday to intercept an Iranian missile in Turkish airspace, marking the third such interception since February 28. Turkey's defense ministry confirmed NATO air and missile defense assets intercepted the Iranian missile with no casualties, though debris fell in Gaziantep. Three American destroyers are currently positioned in the Eastern Mediterranean. The SM-3 uses kinetic kill technology to destroy short- to intermediate-range missiles during midcourse flight and can engage targets in space.
#us-navy-operations #sm-3-interceptor #iranian-ballistic-missiles #nato-air-defense #eastern-mediterranean
Read at Business Insider
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