Australia achieves land-based SM-2 missile defence live fire

Defence has accelerated the introduction of integrated air and missile defence capabilities for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) with the successful live‑firing last month of a ground-based SM-2 missile air defence system by the Australian Defence Force and the United States. The ADF successfully engaged an airborne target at the Woomera test range in South Australia during Exercise Taipan Strike 26.

The 2026 National Defence Strategy highlights the increasingly complex strategic environment in the region and underscores the need for modern, effective capabilities to counter advanced threats. Last month’s Integrated Investment Program directed the acceleration of a medium-range, ground-based air defence capability to protect against long-range and high-speed missile threats. This live‑fire engagement directly supports this priority, demonstrating performance of this potential capability option, the department says.

The missile firing integrated an Australian CEA Technologies radar that communicated with a Virtualised AEGIS weapon control system and two-cell towed, Derringer missile launcher, to shoot down a cruise missile target with an Australian missile. This followed a period of close collaboration, innovation and engineering to produce this successful prototype.

“This first-of-type live fire test is a practical demonstration of how the Australian Defence Force is working with its partners, and local industry, to deliver crucial defence capabilities – growing our sovereignty and helping to keep Australians safe,” said Richard Marles, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence.

CEA Technologies worked with Lockheed Martin to complete this first-of-type integration between a CEAFAR radar and the Virtualised AEGIS Combat System. The combination of an SM-2 missile, AEGIS Combat System and CEAFAR radar will also equip the RAN’s Hunter-class ASW frigates while the SM-2-AEGIS combination already equips the RAN’s Hobart-class destroyers.

“Taipan Strike 26 is an Air Force-led Integrated Air and Missile Defence activity designed to explore medium range air defence capability options to inform capability acquisition decisions,” says AM Stephen Chappell, Chief of Air Force. “The success of the Taipan Strike 26 live-fire event is further evidence of the strength of our partnerships, as well as our integral relationship with industry.”

The SM-2/AEGIS/CEAFAR capability was trialled as a candidate option for a future ground-based medium-range air defence solution. Other possible options include the Patriot PAC-3, MBDA’s SAMP/T NG, the Korean KM-SAM and Israeli Iron Dome and David’s Sling and Defence is expected to make a recommendation to Government soon.