Company s Fourth PTV Target Launched for U.S. Air Force Space and
Missile Systems Center
DULLES, Va.Dec. 14, 2015--
Orbital ATK (NYSE: OA), a global leader in aerospace and defense
technologies, successfully launched a Patriot Target Vehicle (PTV) for
the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC). Orbital ATK s
PTV served as an intercept target for the U.S. Army Lower Tier Project
Office (LTPO) Patriot missile defense system. The PTV was launched on
December 10, 2015 from Fort Wingate into the White Sands Missile Range
(WSMR) in New Mexico. It flew a southerly trajectory over WSMR and was
intercepted by the Patriot Advance Capability-3(PAC-3) Missile Segment
Enhancement (MSE) interceptor system during reentry.
We are very pleased to support the Air Force and Army with a fourth
successful target launch, which flew its planned sequence precisely as
expected culminating in a positive intercept indication, said Rich
Straka, Vice President and General Manager for Orbital ATK s Launch
Vehicles Division. We look forward to future tests with the PTV to
continue supporting the readiness of the nation s Patriot system.
Orbital ATK has been supporting the U.S. Air Force with ballistic target
systems for more than 20 years. The development of the first PTV target
vehicle took just over two-and-a-half years and relied heavily on
flight-proven designs from other Orbital ATK launch vehicles, such as
the Medium Range Target, Storm target and Pegasus space
launch vehicle.
Orbital ATK is one of the country s most experienced developers and
operators of missile defense-related launch vehicles. The company
supports virtually all of the country s major missile defense programs
with highly reliable and cost-effective target vehicles.
Orbital ATK produces its missile defense interceptors and related target
vehicles primarily at the company s engineering and manufacturing
facility in Chandler, Arizona and its vehicle assembly and integration
facilities at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California and Huntsville,
Alabama.
In addition to the Patriot program, Orbital ATK s target vehicles
support test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense, Missile Defense
Agency s Ground-based Midcourse Defense system (GMD) and THAAD systems.
Orbital ATK also produces the Coyote ramjet-powered supersonic naval
target vehicle used to test ship self-defense systems for the U.S. Navy.
About Orbital ATK
Orbital ATK is a global leader in aerospace and defense technologies.
The company designs, builds and delivers space, defense and aviation
systems for customers around the world, both as a prime contractor and
merchant supplier. Its main products include launch vehicles and related
propulsion systems; missile products, subsystems and defense
electronics; precision weapons, armament systems and ammunition;
satellites and associated space components and services; and advanced
aerospace structures. Headquartered in Dulles, Virginia, Orbital ATK
employs approximately 12,000 people in 18 states across the U.S. and in
several international locations. For more information, visit www.orbitalatk.com.
Source: Orbital ATK
Orbital ATK
Media Contact:
Trina Helquist, 408-814-6504
Launch
Vehicles Division Public Relations
trina.helquist@orbitalatk.com
or
Investor
Contact:
Barron Beneski, 703-406-5528
Public and Investor
Relations
barron.beneski@orbitalatk.com