The Pentagon's top weapons tester supported a production recommendation last fall for the Standard Missile-3 Block IIA and next month will determine the system's operational effectiveness and operational suitability, according to a Defense Department spokesman. Robert Behler, director of operational test and evaluation, provided a key endorsement of the decision to pivot the new Aegis interceptor -- in development with Japan since 2006 -- to production following a number of flight test failures, including a major January 2018 setback caused...
