{"id":59684,"date":"2017-07-24T19:48:33","date_gmt":"2017-07-24T19:48:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2017\/07\/24\/sailor-error-led-to-failed-us-navy-ballistic-missile-intercept-test\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T00:18:34","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T00:18:34","slug":"sailor-error-led-to-failed-us-navy-ballistic-missile-intercept-test","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/naval\/2017\/07\/24\/sailor-error-led-to-failed-us-navy-ballistic-missile-intercept-test\/","title":{"rendered":"Sailor error led to failed US Navy ballistic missile intercept test"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2013 A U.S. Missile Defense Agency review of a failed ballistic missile intercept test showed that a mistaken input into the combat system by a sailor on the destroyer John Paul Jones caused the missile to self-destruct before reaching the target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A tactical datalink controller, in charge of maintaining encrypted data exchanges between ships and aircraft, accidentally identified the incoming ballistic missile target as a friendly in the system, causing the SM-3 missile to self-destruct in flight, according to a source familiar with the test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The head of MDA did not comment on the sailor error, but said in a statement that the ongoing review confirmed it wasn\u2019t an issue with the SM-3 Block IIA missile or the Navy\u2019s Aegis combat system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThough the review is still in process, the SM-3 IIA interceptor and Aegis Combat System have been eliminated as the potential root cause,\u201d of the failure, said Air Force Lt. Gen. Sam Greaves, the director of MDA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are conducting an extensive review as part of our standard engineering and test processes, and it would be inappropriate to comment further until we complete the investigation.\u200e\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t