Seattle will be the temporary home of the Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX) for the next three months while it undergoes some maintenance. According to the Missile Defense Agency’s website, the SBX “tracks, discriminates, and assesses the flight characteristics of ballistic missiles. The SBX provides an advanced capability to the overall Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), greatly increasing the Missile Defense Agency’s ability to conduct operational and realistic testing of the BMDS, while providing an operational capability to the Combatant Commands.”
I went out and watched as this mammoth structure made its way into Elliott Bay.
Update 5/11, 9:30am: Here’s a closeup shot from last night.
