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The U.S. Army is modernizing its air defense. The Army will conduct a flight test of the Low-cost Extended-Range Air Defense (LowER-AD), an element of the newest air defense system.

The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command has announced that the LowER-AD project will demonstrate critical technologies to defeat subsonic cruise missiles and lethal unmanned aerial systems, leaving the advanced Patriot interceptors for the more stressing threats.

The test with the ballistic test vehicle, which will be conducted by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center, is scheduled to take place in the fourth quarter of the Fiscal Year 2019, according to the Army Acquisition Support Center.

The system is a missile interceptor technology that is smaller and less costly than other larger systems. 

According to defence-blog.com, LowER-AD technology will make it possible to reduce the size of the missile, which in turn will allow more missiles per launcher. Internal components of the LowER-AD missile technology will include improved navigation and a low-cost seeker and warhead, which will maximize its capability to protect defended areas and troops.

A flight test with the ballistic test vehicle will be conducted to verify key component performance.

LOWER AD will conduct a flight test in fiscal year 2021, using various targets at extended ranges to demonstrate Level 6 maturity of the technology, according to army.mil.