Kratos’ ARAV-B Target Missile Completes 43rd Successful Flight During Pacific Dragon 2026
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions’ ARAV-B ballistic missile target was successfully flown during the multinational Pacific Dragon 2026 missile defense exercise led by the US 3rd Fleet, bringing its total successful mission count to 43. The launch took place from the Pacific Missile Range Facility off Hawaii.
At a Glance
- ARAV-B launched on August 6 as part of Pacific Dragon 2026, which ran from August 6-15 around the Hawaiian Islands.
- Participants included the United States, Australia, Chile, Italy, Japan, South Korea and Spain.
- The two-stage, spin-stabilized ARAV-B is powered by Kratos’ commercial Oriole rocket motor.
- The target provided a threat-representative profile for the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system and AN/SPY-6 radar aboard USS Jack H. Lucas.
- ARAV-B has now completed 43 successful missions for US Navy and Missile Defense Agency customers.
Background
Live-fire testing of missile defense systems provides a layer of validation that simulation alone cannot: radars must track a genuine ballistic profile, command-and-control systems must process real-time data, and allied navies must exercise shared data links under realistic conditions. Pacific Dragon exercises are run regularly for exactly this purpose, refining tactical data-sharing and coordinated engagement procedures among participants. Reusable, lower-cost target systems like ARAV-B make it economically feasible to run this kind of multinational exercise more frequently.
Regional Impact
Türkiye was not among the Pacific Dragon 2026 participants and does not field an Aegis Baseline 10-class system, but the exercise’s underlying logic — validating radars and command systems against realistic target missiles — applies equally to Türkiye’s own test infrastructure. Target systems developed by ROKETSAN and TÜBİTAK SAGE serve a similar validation role for the SİPER and HİSAR families. As a NATO member, Türkiye is also indirectly shaped by the procedures and data-sharing standards these multinational missile defense exercises help establish.
FAQ
What is ARAV-B? A reusable, two-stage, spin-stabilized target missile built by Kratos that replicates realistic ballistic threat profiles.
What is Pacific Dragon 2026? A multinational missile defense and tactical data-sharing exercise led by the US 3rd Fleet around the Hawaiian Islands.
What did this test prove? That the Aegis Baseline 10 combat system and AN/SPY-6 radar aboard USS Jack H. Lucas could track and engage a realistic ballistic target.
