Aegis Ashore Deckhouse Concept Advances National Security

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is now using a Black & Veatch-designed facility for a land-based missile defense program. The goal of the program – Aegis Ashore – was to adapt the U.S. Navy’s sea-based Aegis Combat System for use on land.

Among the many projects Black & Veatch delivered to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, our role in the design of a reconstitutable deckhouse, which houses the Aegis Weapon System and other electrical and mechanical components, provided a unique and unmatched solution for the Missile Defense Agency’s most stringent requirements.

The agency required that all elements of the deckhouse’s structure, building utilities and weapons systems – could be rapidly disassembled and reassembled at another location. This was successfully demonstrated when the structure in New Jersey, used for weapon system equipment verification, was relocated to Romania as the first deployed Aegis Ashore site.

While assembly and disassembly was one significant challenge of the project, Black & Veatch also had to meet land-based building codes and other regulations that are not required for deckhouses on Navy ships.

Black & Veatch’s deckhouses are in Hawaii and Europe, as Aegis Ashore focuses on missile defense needs around the world. The deckhouse in Hawaii, while not an operational site, supports testing, training and capability development efforts for the Aegis and Aegis Ashore Ballistic Missile Defense Systems. The deckhouses in Europe support the European Phased Adaptive Approach, providing ballistic missile defense in Europe.

The project continues Black & Veatch’s more than 20-year support of the defense agency’s ballistic missile defense program. It proves that Black & Veatch is continuing to provide designs that meet its aggressive demands for innovative weapon technologies.

A Team Approach

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) awarded the Aegis Ashore Design Team, which includes Black & Veatch professionals, as its 2014 Team Technology Achievement Award Winner. The team was selected for its “outstanding innovation and significant technical achievements designing the Aegis Ashore deckhouse and sub-assemblies in support of program requirements” and for “meeting the demanding schedule associated with this presidential mandate,” according to the MDA.

For the AAMDTC PMRF Studies Task Order SR01, B&V received an Overall Rating of “Very Good” with the following comments related to the Deckhouse Concept Study:

“Black and Veatch was tasked to work on a unique and challenging study to evaluate, develop and cost unprecedented concepts to provide a land-based, reconstitutable deckhouse solution. While there are no tangible savings as a direct result of the Deckhouse Concept Study, the future benefit to the Government is paramount in terms of the advancement of national security.”