Navy tested Aegis Weapon System interoperability with Spanish Navy

The U.S. Navy recently tested Aegis Weapon System interoperability with the Spanish Navy in the first-ever test of Aegis Baseline 9.C1 with a foreign ship.

This was the first combined systems ship qualification trial with the Spanish Navy since 2007. The destroyer Arleigh Burke (DDG-51) and the Spanish frigate Cristobol Colón (F-105) participated in the air defense test exercises July 20-21, according to a July 22 Naval Sea Systems Command statement.

"While our Combat Systems suites are slightly different, the way we operate and execute missions are quite similar," Arleigh Burke Commanding Officer Cmdr. Tom Myers said in a statement. "My crew and I are grateful for the opportunity to deepen our operational relationship with our Spanish allies and enhance interoperability initiatives between our two navies. The professionalism and proficiency of the Cristobol Colón crew was top notch and it was an honor to work with them."

The Aegis Weapon System is a centralized, automated, command-and-control weapons control system that was designed as a total weapon system from detection to engagement. The heart of the system is the AN/SPY-1 radar, which is an advanced, automatic detect and track, multifunction phased-array radar. This high-powered radar is able to perform search, track, and missile guidance functions simultaneously with a track capacity of more than 100 targets.

Both ships combined with E-2 aircraft shared a common tactical picture using the AN/SPY-1 radar and tactical data links.

"The complex, multiparticipant interoperability testing between DDG-51, F-105, Land Based Test Sites, E-2C and E-2D aircraft as well as challenging IAMD and AD test scenarios demonstrate the impressive capability of the Aegis Combat System that is delivered to the hands of our sailors," Capt. Todd Boehm, major program manager for Aegis fleet readiness said in the same statement.

Spanish Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jaime Muñoz-Delgado and Defense Minister Pedro Morenés were on board Cristobal Colón during the live fire events.

"These international relationships form the backbone of a vibrant, interoperable naval power network," Rear Adm. Jon Hill, program executive officer for integrated warfare systems said in the same statement." As we expand our combat capabilities, our allies look to us for leading edge technologies and battlespace advantage -- and this enhances our distributed lethality network."