Kratos’ ARAV-B ballistic missile target successfully engaged by US Navy ships

San Diego-based Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. has confirmed its Aegis Readiness Assessment Vehicle Type B (ARAV-B) ARAV-B participation in NATO’s At-Sea Demonstration (ASD)/EX Formidable Shield (FS) 25. This extensive live-fire exercise, the largest of its kind in the European theatre, is hosted biennially by the US 6th Fleet.

This year’s exercise comprised a series of live-fire events against unmanned air and surface systems, subsonic, supersonic, and ballistic targets. Kratos’ Aegis Readiness Assessment Vehicle Type B (ARAV-B) medium range ballistic missile target participated in the exercise, the company says. It flew a nominal trajectory and performed all planned events before being successfully engaged and intercepted by US Navy destroyers USS Bulkeley (DDG-84) and USS Thomas Hudner (DDG-116) using a Standard Missile 3 (SM-3).

The exercise, which began on May 3, 2025, involved approximately 6,900 personnel from across NATO member states.