The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), in coordination with U.S. Space Force and U.S. Northern Command, successfully completed a critical missile defense test on June 23, 2025, involving a live intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) representative target and the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) stationed at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska.
During the test, designated Flight Test Other-26a (FTX-26a), the MDA launched a target missile over the northern Pacific Ocean.
The projectile traveled more than 2,000 kilometers off the southern coast of Alaska, where it was detected, tracked, and reported by the LRDR. The radar passed real-time tracking data to the Command and Control Battle Management and Communications (C2BMC) system.
“This was a key test in the development of the LRDR system and its integration into the C2BMC network,” said MDA Director Lt. Gen. Heath Collins. “LRDR will provide USNORTHCOM and the United States Space Force with the ability to precisely track ballistic missile threats as well as other space objects, advancing our ability to deter adversaries and bolster our homeland missile defense.”
This marked the LRDR’s first flight test tracking a live ICBM-type target. In addition to the LRDR, the Upgraded Early Warning Radar (UEWR), also located at Clear Space Force Station, contributed tracking data to the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system to support a simulated engagement.
Initial assessments indicate that LRDR, C2BMC, and GMD Fire Control successfully met mission objectives. According to MDA officials, program teams will continue analyzing telemetry and performance data gathered during the test to validate models and simulations.
The LRDR, developed to detect and discriminate between real and decoy targets in long-range missile attacks, plays a central role in improving U.S. homeland defense architecture. Its high-resolution radar array enables persistent surveillance and engagement support across the missile defense network.
C2BMC, a key element in U.S. missile defense operations, serves as the data-sharing backbone that fuses information from multiple radar and sensor nodes into a unified command picture. The system enables coordinated responses to airborne and spaceborne threats.
FTX-26a supports the operational evaluation of the LRDR and its future integration into layered U.S. defense strategies. The test also serves to validate ongoing improvements in radar discrimination, communications, and coordination with GMD interceptors.
The GMD system remains the primary shield against limited ICBM attacks targeting the U.S. homeland, and its evolving integration with next-generation sensors like the LRDR is essential for maintaining reliability in increasingly complex threat environments.
Further assessments of FTX-26a are underway and will inform system refinements and updates to the operational readiness of LRDR ahead of its full deployment within the broader U.S. missile defense network.