Other · Sea

Aegis Combat System

Integrated naval combat management and weapon control system.

by Lockheed Martin · First fielded 1983

FieldedOtherSeaMilestoneMar 19, 2026

Milestones15
Sources16
Operators—
Components3

Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Amy Forsythe · Public domain (PD-USGov-Military-Navy)

Milestones196920268 key of 15

Dec 1969Contract awardRCA receives Aegis engineering development contract, confirmed
1983FieldedFirst Aegis ship enters service, confirmed
1993ExportJapan joins the Aegis fleet, confirmed
Nov 16, 2020MilestoneAegis BMD demonstrates intercept of ICBM-class test target, confirmed
Jul 10, 2024MilestoneNATO announces Poland Aegis Ashore site mission-ready, confirmed
Dec 10, 2024MilestoneAegis Guam completes first local ballistic intercept test, confirmed
Mar 24, 2025MilestoneStellar Banshee demonstrates tracking and simulated engagement, confirmed
Mar 19, 2026MilestoneJapan ASEV integration completes two live-target tracking events, confirmed

Timeline15

Dec 1969Contract awardConfirmed
RCA receives Aegis engineering development contract
RCA was contracted to design and develop Aegis Mk 7 Engineering Development Model 1. This dates the contract rather than a public unveiling.
SourcesJohns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
Nov 1973MilestoneConfirmed
Engineering model undergoes sailor-operated land test
Sailors operated and maintained the engineering model during a two-day land-based FAST CRUISE operational test before its transfer to USS Norton Sound.
SourcesJohns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
May 16, 1974MilestoneConfirmed
Aegis engineering model intercepts drone targets at sea
Aegis EDM-1 aboard USS Norton Sound intercepted two drone aircraft targets during its initial missile engagement. Earlier land tests prevent treating this as the first hardware test.
SourcesJohns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory
1983FieldedConfirmed
First Aegis ship enters service
USS Ticonderoga was commissioned and deployed in 1983; no public-unveil date is established here.
SourcesU.S. Navy
1993ExportConfirmed
Japan joins the Aegis fleet
Japan’s Self-Defense Forces became an Aegis operator in 1993; the source supports year precision.
SourcesLockheed Martin
2008ExportConfirmed
Republic of Korea joins the Aegis fleet
South Korea joined the international Aegis fleet with the commissioning of Sejong the Great.
SourcesLockheed Martin
May 9, 2012MilestoneConfirmed
Aegis BMD 4.0.1 completes first successful intercept
USS Lake Erie completed the first successful live-fire intercept by the second-generation Aegis BMD 4.0.1 system with an SM-3 Block IB. The event date uses Hawaii local time.
SourcesMissile Defense Agency
Nov 6, 2014MilestoneConfirmed
Baseline 9.C1 demonstrates integrated air and missile defense
USS John Paul Jones used Baseline 9.C1 in the first live-fire test of Aegis IAMD Radar Priority Mode, engaging ballistic and cruise-missile targets nearly simultaneously.
SourcesMissile Defense Agency
Dec 9, 2015MilestoneConfirmed
Aegis Ashore completes first intercept test
The land-based Aegis test complex in Hawaii conducted its first intercept flight test. The event occurred December 9 Hawaii time; the release was published December 10.
SourcesMissile Defense Agency
2016FieldedConfirmed
Aegis Ashore enters service in Romania
The U.S. Aegis Ashore installation in Deveselu became operational in 2016. It is a U.S. deployment hosted in Romania, not a Romanian export sale.
SourcesNATO
Nov 16, 2020MilestoneConfirmed
Aegis BMD demonstrates intercept of ICBM-class test target
USS John Finn and an SM-3 Block IIA intercepted an ICBM-representative target in the FTM-44 developmental test near Hawaii. This records a demonstration, not a declaration of operational capability.
SourcesMissile Defense Agency
Jul 10, 2024MilestoneConfirmed
NATO announces Poland Aegis Ashore site mission-ready
NATO announced that the U.S. Aegis Ashore site in Redzikowo was operational and available to defend the Alliance. The date records NATO’s announcement, not an inferred first operational day.
SourcesNATO
Dec 10, 2024MilestoneConfirmed
Aegis Guam completes first local ballistic intercept test
The Aegis Guam configuration participated in FEM-02, intercepting a ballistic test target. This was a developmental demonstration supporting the future Guam Defense System.
SourcesMissile Defense Agency
Mar 24, 2025MilestoneConfirmed
Stellar Banshee demonstrates tracking and simulated engagement
USS Pinckney tested Sea Based Terminal Increment 3 in FTX-40 against a hypersonic representative target. The engagement was simulated; this entry does not record a live intercept.
SourcesMissile Defense Agency
Mar 19, 2026MilestoneConfirmed
Japan ASEV integration completes two live-target tracking events
JFTX-01 events on March 17 and 19 tested SPY-7 integrated with the Aegis Weapon System. Both ended in virtual engagements; the date records completion of this two-event test.
SourcesMissile Defense Agency

Solid entries are confirmed, outlined reported, dashed estimated or still to come; dotted italic entries are speculative. Dates show only the precision the sources give.

Built with2

Used in1

Arleigh Burke-class destroyer
General Dynamics
FieldedVessel
Integrated combat system; baseline depends on ship and modernization status.
Link Confirmed

Cost to the government

Contract unit priceEstimated
$69.6M
Estimate / observation: 2005-01-31 · Then-year $ · 3 units
Navy contract to Lockheed Martin to produce three Aegis Weapon Systems for the 60th-62nd Arleigh Burke-class destroyers: $208.7M / 3 = $69.57M per shipset (Aegis Weapon System production only; excludes shipyard integration and missiles).
Lockheed Martin

Budget by fiscal year
Fiscal year	Appropriation	Request	Enacted	Qty	Budget line	Source
FY2027	RDT&E	$1.29B	—	—	—	Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed
FY2026	RDT&E	$1.34B	$886M	—	—	Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed
FY2025	RDT&E	—	$984M	—	—	Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller)Confirmed

Unit costs and contract unit prices for this product, and budget figures for the programs that buy it. Each figure states its dollar basis and links its source; contract values are under Programs & awards.

In service

First fielded: 1983

Sources16

1.
CompanyU.S. Navy Awards $208.7 Million to Lockheed Martin for Three Aegis Weapon Systems
Lockheed Martin · Jan 31, 2005 · Supports: Cost · amount
“The U.S. Navy awarded Lockheed Martin a $208.7 million contract to produce three Aegis Weapon Systems.”
2.
Government recordProgram Acquisition Cost by Weapon System: Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request
Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller) · Supports: Cost · amount
“Aegis-Based Defense Weapons System ... RDT&E - 983.5 - 984.4 - 933.4 -”
3.
Government recordProgram Acquisition Cost by Weapon System: Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request
Office of the Under Secretary of War (Comptroller) · Supports: Cost · amount
“Aegis-Based Defense Weapons System ... Qty $M 983.1 - 885.7 - - -”
4.
ResearchAEGIS: Newest Line of Navy Defense
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory · Supports: System milestone
“Development Model 1 (EDM-1) in December 1969.”
5.
Government recordNATO missile defence base in Poland now mission ready
NATO · Supports: System milestone
“Poland is now operational and available for the defence of the Alliance.”
6.
CompanyLockheed Martin Demonstrates New Radar Capabilities, Marks Radar Day
Lockheed Martin · Supports: System · system component:an-spy-1
“SPY-1 is the main sensor in the Lockheed Martin-developed Aegis Weapon System”
7.
CompanyAEGIS, Shield of the Fleet
Lockheed Martin · Supports: System, System · system component:mk-41-vls
“introduction of Martin Marietta’s MK-41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) in 1986”
8.
Government recordSecond-Generation Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System Completes Successful Intercept Flight Test
Missile Defense Agency · Supports: System milestone
“second-generation Aegis BMD 4.0.1 weapon system”
9.
Government recordAegis Ballistic Missile Defense System Completes Successful Intercept Flight Test
Missile Defense Agency · Supports: System milestone
“the first live-fire event of the Aegis Weapon System in IAMD Radar Priority Mode”
10.
Government recordStandard Missile Completes First Intercept Test from Aegis Ashore Test Site
Missile Defense Agency · Supports: System milestone
“the first intercept flight test today (December 9, Hawaii Standard Time)”
11.
Government recordU.S. successfully conducts SM-3 Block IIA Intercept Test against an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Target
Missile Defense Agency · Supports: System milestone
“intercepted and destroyed a threat-representative Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) target”
12.
Government recordIn a First, Ballistic Missile Intercept Successfully Conducted from Guam
Missile Defense Agency · Supports: System milestone
“successfully conducted FEM-02 on December 10, 2024.”
13.
Government recordMDA and Navy accomplish next step in Hypersonic Missile Defense
Missile Defense Agency · Supports: System milestone
“perform a simulated engagement of an advanced maneuvering hypersonic target”
14.
Government recordMissile Defense Agency, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Complete Successful ASEV Integration Testing
Missile Defense Agency · Supports: System milestone
“which took place March 17 and 19 off the East Coast of the United States.”
15.
Government recordAEGIS Weapon System
U.S. Navy · Supports: System, System milestone
“The first AEGIS ship, USS TICONDEROGA (CG 47), was commissioned in 1983”
16.
CompanyLockheed Martin to Bring Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense to Latest U.S., Korea and Japan Destroyers
Lockheed Martin · Supports: System milestone
“The Self Defense Forces of Japan joined the Aegis family in 1993.”

Each fact on this page is attached to the sources that support it. Archived copies are linked when we keep one.