Haru ballistic missile timeline

Haruspex

To understand the wildland of the Imperium, is to understand that it believes itself to be alone, yet is on a continent that is very much populated. This belief system has led to the nation developing its ballistic missile systems expertise for decades with little to no outside involvement.

It boasts a cadre of well-trained scientists and engineers and a vast financial network that's both supplied the necessary raw materials and funded a billion-dollar weapons development program. And it doesn’t hurt that most of the leadership through the nation's existence has made the missile weapons program a top priority.

When the Imperium first launched its missile development program, its strategy was to buy old Suverian missiles. Once the Haru engineers had the old missiles, they reverse-engineered them so that they could produce their own copies.

The country imported experience too. Relations with Suverina gave access to outside engineers. It brought them to Tambov and Belaya to both work directly on the Imperial programs and train Haru engineers on the specifics.

At first, these efforts led to some trial and a lot of error. Not so anymore. Today, the regime is “much more efficient and effective” at producing weapons in-house.

Indeed, the Imperium is mostly able to build its rockets in-house. Though outside suppliers are still needed to import some specialized parts and components, particularly electronics, but this is done mostly on a black- or grey-market basis. With the advent of North Korinon and Kaldana, and the alliance with Ateenia, this has cut down the requirements significantly.

Haakon the 8th, initially developed what would become the ballistic missile weapons program. The development of the combat system was a source of domestic legitimization. It also helped Haakon counter the perception that the then Principality now Imperium is vulnerable internationally, a weak state surrounded by strong states.

Of course, there are still some hurdles the country needs to overcome.

Right now, its strongest weapon is an airburst 2,000 kg biological device. Testing in the highlands near Kyussia The reason the pursuit of biological and chemical weapons were approached is that the nuclear technology in the nation was from a cooperative effort with Suverina, and the agreement stated it could be used in vessels or reactors, not for weapons. This treaty so to speak has been honored.

Outside watchdog ministries and so forth speculate on the secretive nature of the weaponry, guarded by levels of security, layered deeper then anything else in the Imperium at a level of demonstrated expertise in ballistic missile weapons development, that has at least been able to fit their warheads into missiles and mount them on mobile and submarine based vehicles, giving them a leg up on some competition.

=== Missile Defense and Research/Design ===

• Sept. 8, 1948

• The Missile Age begins when the principality develops long range missiles, which have one-ton payloads and travel faster than the speed of sound, strike Kyussian targets during the 2nd Contact War, 1941 - 1949. It is later learned that the Haru have plans to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) as well.

• December 1948 - March 1950
• Imperial Studies of Missile Defense

• In December 1948, military officers recommend that the Imperial government start researching and developing ways to defend against incoming long range missiles, similar to what they had created and used. A military advisory group discusses the idea of using an "energy beam" to defend the Imperial territories against these long range missiles in December 1948, and two military studies are initiated three months later to explore the use of possible "interceptor" missiles to destroy incoming warheads.

• August - October 1950

• Imperial government tests first ICBM (formerly named Long Range Missile Munition, renamed to Intercontinental Ballistic Missile); launches ICON observation satellite

• At the height of the arms race with Kyussia and other Occidental nations, the Imperial government tests the first ICBM. Two months later, it launches ICON (the first Haru made eurth-orbiting satellite) into space.

• 1951-1958

Imperial government contracts to HIA [Haruspex International Armaments] to start developing first ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) systems

• The Imperial government steps up its missile defense efforts after the first test and ICON launch and begins work on the Chirona system (Named after a demi-goddess of War), its first major anti-ballistic missile system. A ground-based system, Chirona calls for high explosive-armed interceptors to get close enough to enemy warheads in space to destroy them. Meanwhile, the IAHC (Imperial Army High Command) explores technologies that could be used to intercept enemy missiles in their boost phases.

• March 14, 1959

• HIA missile defense research laboratories demonstrates ABM capabilities when it successfully intercepts its first a ballistic missile. The ABM missile uses a high-explosive payload to destroy its target.

• July 12, 1959

• One of the Chirona missile interceptors, launched from an uninhabited Atoll in the Marenesia Minor Islands, comes within 2 km of a mock warhead that had been fired from a submarine (Mako class diesel-electric boat capable of firing from two tubes while submerged, successor to the Torpin class that was required to be surfaced when firing) which is holding location within the Adlantic Ocean towards its northern reaches, which is close enough for a conventional blast to destroy the warhead.

• November 1961

• Another Army interceptor missile comes within 200 meters of a mock warhead, again close enough to destroy it with an HE explosion.

• January 1963

HIA Chirona system initiated

• Chirona is replaced by the Chrysaor (Demi-goddess of Battle) research program. It is conceived as a "layered" defense, in which long-range interceptors would home in on the enemy warhead in space while short-range interceptors would attack any warheads that re-entered the atmosphere.

• August. 7, 1965

Kyussia (Beautancus) learns of the Haru ABM system

• January 9, 1967

• The Kyussian government publicly confirms that the Imperial Haru government is deploying its anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system around Prathen and Chel'de Yorn, which it had first detected two years earlier.

• Sept. 28, 1968

Imperial government announces Arcas (Demi-god of Strength) ABM system

• The Imperial government announces plans to proceed with its Arcas ABM system (successor to Chrysaor), which calls for deploying 700 interceptors to defend selected cities from a limited Kyussia/Tagmatine threat.

• Oct. 10, 1968

Outer Space Regulation of Usage Treaty goes into effect

• The Outer Space Regulation of Usage Treaty, signed by the Imperial government, and Kyussia, mandates that countries will not place "in orbit around the eurth any objects carrying weapons of mass destruction."

• Feb. 26, 1969

Arcas delayed

• After a series of public demonstrations protesting the imperial military's plans to deploy interceptor missiles near populated areas, the Imperial government announces it will halt the deployment of Arcas.

• March 24, 1969

Arcas continued

• Emperor Nija says the deployment of a missile defense will continue. The system is now dubbed 'Thoth (Demi-god of the Hunt),' and instead of defending metropolitan areas, the system will use interceptor missiles to defend HISR (Haru Imperial Strategic Rocketry) ICBM silos.

• October 1969

National Council narrowly approves Thoth funding

• After months of debate, the National Council finally, and narrowly approves plans to fund Thoth.

• June 26, 1971

Nija and Janus II sign ABM Treaty

• Nija and Kyussia Emperor Janus II sign the first Strategic Arms Regulation Treaty, which includes the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty. The ABM Treaty prohibits a nation-wide missile defense, but allows each side two ABM deployment sites and a maximum of 100 interceptor missiles.

• July 3, 1974

ABM Treaty amended

• An amendment to the ABM Treaty allowed for one more site to be added to either nation of said agreement to keep the balance.

• March 23-28, 1983

Newly appointed Empress Yarelia elevates missile defense debate

• Empress Yarelia, in a nationally televised address, calls for research and development of into missile defenses: "I call upon the scientific community in our country, those who gave us these great peace-making weapons, to turn their great talents now to the cause of mankind and world stability, to give us the means of rendering these weapons impotent and obsolete." On March 28, 1983, the Empress formalizes her creation of the National Security Services Directorate Ministry B.

• Jan. 26, 1984

HISR and Directorate B's new 'Strategic Missile Defense Initiative' is born

• The new missile defense program is further codified in National Security Directive 119/A/12 - Subsection 2/J/003, which says that "the SMDI is not a development and deployment program, but rather a broad-based, centrally managed research effort to identify and develop the key technologies necessary for an effective strategic defense. The research will be initially focused on technologies for: sensing and tracking attacking missiles; destroying attacking missiles and warheads; command and control; and survivability and sustainability."

• April 4, 1984

SMDI created

• High-lord and officer of the Imperial Missile Defense and Research Ministry, Thrak Mu'Dolis, signs the charter for the Strategic Missile Defense Initiative Ministry (SMDIM).

• June 10, 1984

First successful "hit to kill" test

• After several failed attempts, the HISR successfully tests its Homing Overlay Experiment (HOE), in which a "kill vehicle" launched atop a booster rocket from the previously mentioned uninhabited Atoll in the Marenesia Minor Islands homes in on its target an ICBM launched from HIN submarine Gaius in the Adlantic Ocean and destroys it. (Nearly a decade later, however, the Imperial Naval Research Ministry issues a report indicating that the test had been partly rigged.)

• June 11, 1985

SMDIM's Chemical laser tested

• At the Tambov Missile Range, a chemical laser aimed at a missile body, which is on the ground and immobile, is able to destroy the missile shell by irradiating it. The Imperial News Now journalist reports that "the use of powerful lasers against missiles in flight is foreseen as one likely component of a defense against enemy missile attack." It further states, however, that the test "did not appear to represent a breakthrough, since chemical lasers have destroyed metallic objects in the past."

• Jan. 6, 1998

ABM system reportedly gets first combat success

• Shortly after the third war with Kyussia begins, press reports indicate that for the first time in history, an the Haru ABM anti-missile system (Thoth) has intercepted and destroyed its target (a Kyussian missile) under combat conditions. (It is later revealed that the Thoth's success during the War had been greatly exaggerated.)

• Jan. 28, 1999

ERIS hit-to-kill test deemed success

• The HISR Exoatmospheric Reentry Vehicle Interceptor System (ERIS), which was built using technology from the HISR's Homing Overlay Experiment, reportedly hits and kills a mock target in space. The Imperial News Now reports that "after fifteen years of research and $24 billion in spending, the HISR's 'ERIS' program to destroy enemy missiles has achieved its first interception of a mock warhead in space."

• Feb. 29, 1999

Empress Fayh scales back ERIS

• In her public address, Empress Fayh scales back ERIS and proposes what becomes OPALS, or Occidental Protection Against Limited Strikes. "With remarkable technological advances like the Thoth missile, we can defend against ballistic missile attacks aimed at innocent civilians," says Fayh. "Looking forward, I have directed that the ERIS program be refocused on providing protection from limited ballistic missile strikes, whatever their source."

• July 31, 1999

Arms reduction agreement signed

• Empress Fayh and Kyussia Emperor Janus III conclude the first Spacial Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (SSART I). The two leaders agree to reduce their arsenals to 6,000 warheads and 1,600 total ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and heavy bombers.

• Dec. 5, 1999

Fayh signs Missile Regulation Act

• Empress Fayh signs the Missile Regulation Act of 1999, which mandates that the Imperial Ministry of Defense develop by 2006 "a cost effective, operationally effective, and ABM Treaty-compliant anti-ballistic missile system" that will protect the Imperial territories from limited threats. It also requires the Imperial Defense Ministry to "aggressively pursue" theater missile defenses to protect legionary in the field.

• March 3, 1999

Second ERIS intercept attempt fails

• In its second hit-to-kill attempt, the ERIS kill vehicle misses its target warhead by several meters.

• Jan. 3, 2000

Fayh, Janus III sign SSART II

• Empress Fayh and Emperor Janus II meet and after this summit, agree and sign documentation, which would reduce ICBM arsenals once again, to 3,000-3,500 warheads each by 2003.

• May 13, 2000

In renaming SMDIM the Imperial Ballistic Missile Defense Ministry (IBMDM), Officer of the Imperial Ministry of Defense Ayak Hallas declares "the end of the ERIS era." The IMBDM's emphasis will be on developing theater missile defenses.

• Sept. 27, 2001

National Council announce missile defense platform legislation

• The National Council calls for the Imperial Defense Ministry to "develop for deployment at the earliest possible date a cost-effective, operational anti-ballistic missile defense system to protect the Imperial territories against ballistic missile threats."

• Feb. 15, 2002

NICE Assessment

• The National Intelligence Council, which is made up of four intelligence agencies, releases its 2002 National Intelligence Council Estimate (NICE), which concludes that "no country, other than the major declared powers, will develop or otherwise acquire a ballistic missile in the next five years that could threaten the contiguous imperial territories."

• March 21, 2002

National Council introduce Guardian Act

• The National Council introduce the Guardian Act, which would require the Imperial Defense Ministry to deploy by 2006 a national missile system that would provide a "highly effective" defense to all territories within Imperial domain against limited, unauthorized, and accidental launches.

• April 11, 2002

Council of Nine INMD plan outlined

• In rare testimony, Council member Nikam Renor Elemmiire put forth the Imperial Missile Defense (IMD) program, which provides for the development and demonstration of a national missile defense system within three years, or by 2005. The council would then make a deployment decision and, if the threat warranted, the system would be deployed within five years, or by 2007.

• May 30, 2002

Internal report says budget could reach $60 billion

• The Imperial Budget Ministry reports that deployment of the Guardian Act could cost up to $60 billion -- much more than originally anticipated. Subsequently, the bill never comes up for a vote within the National Council.

• Dec. 4, 2002

National Council upholds NICE findings

• The National Council orders examination of the 2002 NICE intelligence findings. The examination is carried out by members of the Imperial Military Council, and is chaired by Sengar d'isto (High officer rank) Tharmin Yars.

• In presenting the findings to the National Council, Yars says, "The IMC believes the intelligence community has a strong case that for sound technical reasons, the Imperial Domain is unlikely to face an indigenously developed and tested intercontinental ballistic missile threat from the neighboring Occidental countries, if for no other reason then Mutually Assured Destruction scenarios."

• Further, says Yars, "There was no breach of the integrity of the intelligence process. Beyond this, the IMC believes that unsubstantiated allegations challenging the integrity of intelligence community analysts by those who simply disagree with their conclusions, including by members of the National Council, are irresponsible." Unsatisfied, proponents of missile defense create another commission to assess ballistic missile threats.

• March 21, 2003

ABM Treaty to allow "theater" defenses

• A summit between Empress Fayh and Kyussian Emperor Janus IV takes place in Suverina, amid Kyussian concerns that the Haru are making efforts to mandate a national missile defense system. Both sides signal that they are ready to proceed with SSART III negotiations, which would reduce each nation's arsenal of deployed weapons to 2,000-2,500.

• Additionally, after years of negotiations to reach a definition of acceptable "theater" missile defenses under the ABM Treaty, the two nations announce that they have reached an agreement in which both sides "have the option to establish and to deploy effective theater missile defense systems," so long as those defenses "will not pose a realistic threat to the strategic missile force of the other side."

• June 24, 2003

First "fly by" test of IMD program conducted

• The first "fly by" test of the Imperial Missile Defense system is conducted. A package of sensors is launched from the testing Atoll in the Marenesia Minor Islands, and it collects data in space on targets that have been launched by a missile from a submarine in the Adlantic Ocean, There is no attempt to intercept the targets.

• Sept. 26, 2003

Second "fly by" test conducted

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• The second IMD "fly by" test is conducted.
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• Feb. 27, 2004

Imperial Territories Missile Protection Act introduced

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• ITMPA mandates that the Imperial territories "deploy as soon as is technologically possible an effective Missile Defense system capable of defending the territory of the Imperial Domain against limited ballistic missile attack (whether accidental, unauthorized, or deliberate)."
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• April-May 2004

Kyussian-Hary tensions intensify

• For the first time, HISR tests a missile with a reported range of 2,870 km and the ability to carry a warhead of more than 1,500 kg. The next month, Kyussia tests a missile weapon of similar ability.

• Aug. 31, 2004

HISR tests three-stage rocket

• In a test, HISR for the first time demonstrates three-stage rocket technology in an attempt to launch a satellite into orbit. The satellite is carried atop a rocket that has been designed using systems from the ICON I & II missiles. The third stage explodes and the satellite is destroyed, but the failed HISR test has a profound effect on imperial occidental policy.

• Sept. 9, 2004

National Council leaders question relevancy of ABM Treaty

• Eight NC leaders send a letter to Empress Fayh in which they write, "We have no choice but to conclude that the ABM Treaty will lead to eventual downfall of the Imperial Domain, as it weakens us to the powers that surround us."

• March 5, 2005

Fayh reinforces commitment to ABM Treaty

• "I have never advocated, initiated, encouraged, sanctioned, or blinked at the possibility that we could unilaterally abrogate the ABM Treaty," Empress Fayh says. "I personally would be very opposed to that, as it would incite aggressive stances within the Occidental region."

• July 23, 2005

Empress Fayh signs Imperial Missile Defense Act

• Fayh quietly signs the Imperial Missile Defense Act, but in a statement says that "the legislation makes clear that no decision on deployment has been made."

• Sept. 8, 2005

Civil War breaks out in the Imperial Domain

• Occidental tensions are stoked as hardware and technology is now in the open across various factions.

• July 6, 2007

IBCM Strike Against Ishakor.

• Faction supporting Empress Fayh involve themselves in the Zharrian/Ishakor conflict on the side of Zharr, and deploy five biological warhead carrying ICBM's, alongside fifteen conventional warhead ICBM's in a first strike via submarine (Thresher class, Haru clone of the 941 Akula).

• Oct. 2, 2007

Civil War has ended.
Empress Fayh and large contingent of followers within the Secundus Province are killed in an ICBM launch and detonation of Crimson Rain, a previously rumored to have biological weapon within the Imperial arms by Kyussian Intelligence.

• Jan 12, 2009

IMD hit-to-kill test deemed successful

• The first hit-to-kill test of the IMD system is conducted two years after the civil war. Despite initial problems with its telescopes, the kill vehicle is able to locate the warhead and collide with it.

• Jan. 18, 2009

Second hit-to-kill test fails

• The second hit-to-kill test, which is more complex than the first, is conducted. The intercept fails when the kill vehicle misses the mock warhead by about 70 meters.

• August 7, 2009

IBM estimates cost of proposed system

• In a National Council Budget report on the costs of the IMD system, the IBM says that "costs for the entire system would total nearly $49 billion through 2015." The Imperial News Now reports that the IBM's estimate is "roughly twice as much as supporters of the program have estimated."

• May 23, 2010

Third hit-to-kill test fails

• The third intercept test fails when the kill vehicle doesn't separate from its booster.

• Aug. 10, 2010

Devastating critique of program

• Following the failed May test, The Imperial Ministry of Military Test and Evaluation, issues a devastating 67-page critique of the proposed imperial missile defense system. It details how the tests had been simplified to ensure the perception of success. The report is delivered privately to the Emperor, but the National Council refuses for eight months to release the report to the public.

• January. 1, 2011

Sa'Karn defers deployment decision

• Sa'Karn defers the decision over whether to deploy the Imperial Missile Defense system to the Council of Nine. "I simply cannot conclude with the information I have today that we have enough confidence in the technology and the operational effectiveness of the entire [Imperial Missile Defense] system to move forward to deployment."

• March 20011

Council of Nine discuss ABM Treaty weaknesses

• Council of Nine discussions lean towards the idea it may be necessary, ultimately, to walk out of the ABM Treaty and abrogate our responsibilities. The council does add, however, that they don't think it is currently necessary: "We've got a long way to go and we have a lot of conversations to have with the other powers in the Occidental over this. But the point we are making is that the framework that treaty was designed for, was a framework that really isn't relevant now."

• May 1, 2011

National Council outlines missile defense plans, targets ABM Treaty

• Emperor Sa'Karn outlines his vision for missile defense in a speech at the Imperial Defense Academy. "We need a new framework that allows us to build missile defenses to counter the different threats of today's world," Sa'Karn says, referring to what he deemed the ABM Treaty's limitations on research. "No treaty that prevents us from addressing today's threats, that prohibits us from pursuing promising technology to defend ourselves, our friends, and our allies is in our interests." Critics of the plan say that the development of missile defenses could continue for many years without defying the ABM Treaty.

• June 27, 2011

NC and the Imperial Legionary High Command (ILHC) earmarks $8.3 billion for missile defense

• July 14, 2011

Fourth hit-to-kill test deemed successful

• The fourth IMD hit-to-kill test successfully demonstrates the system's interceptor capabilities. But during the final stages of the test, a software problem prevents the ground-based radar system from assessing the kill vehicle and whether or not it had hit the mock warhead.

• Early September 2011

National Council and the HISR Command presents missile defense plan ideology

• HISR Defense Review Report," in which it says that it has "refocused and revitalized the missile defense program, shifting from a single-site 'national' missile defense approach to a broad-based research, development, and testing effort aimed at deployment of layered missile defenses. These defenses will help protect imperial forward-deployed forces. Moreover, they will provide limited defense against missile threats not only for the Haru citizenry, but also for friends and allies."

• Dec. 3, 2011

Fifth IMD hit-to-kill test deemed successful

• The fifth hit-to-kill test of the IMD, which the NC now calls the Ground-Based Midcourse Strategic Defense (GMSD), takes place. Eight minutes after the kill vehicle separates from the booster, it homes in and destroys the target warhead.

• Dec. 13, 2011

Sa'Karn announces plan to continue to uphold ABM Treaty

• Emperor Sa'Karn amidst growing tensions announces his intention to support the ABM Treaty. This greatly defuses tensions, especially with Kyussia.

• Jan. 2, 2012

IBMDM reorganized, renamed

• In announcing the reorganization of the IBMDM, (it is now called the Imperial Missile Defense Ministry - IMDM), the NC says that a missile defense system would "defend the imperial domain, deployed forces, allies and friends from ballistic missile attack." It also "layers defenses to intercept missiles in all phases of their flight (i.e. boost, midcourse, and terminal) against all ranges of threats."

• The I.N.N. reports that the development plan for a "layered" missile defense is "a much more ambitious effort than the HISR's previous focus, which was largely on a ground-based interceptor system."

• Feb. 14, 2012

HISR submits budget request to the National Council

• In its budget request, the HISR development and research budget earmarks $7.8 billion of the $367 billion defense budget for missile defense (the same amount approved for the previous year). Approximately 40 percent of the missile defense budget, $3.2 billion, is for the GSMD system.

• March 15, 2012

Sixth IMD hit-to-kill test deemed successful

• In the most recent test of the IMD, three decoys, one large balloon and two smaller ones, are used. Despite the additional decoys, the kill vehicle successfully homes in on the warhead and destroys it.

• May 25, 2012

HISR and the ECC classify decoy data

• Imperial Defense Daily, a watchdog organization, reports that the ECC and HISR "have decided to classify details of the targets and countermeasures that will be used in all future [IMD] flight tests." Critics contend that the ECC is being unnecessarily secretive: "The devil is in the details," complains one critic, "and the details are now classified."

• June 12, 2012

New rules for missile defense projects

• The I.N.N. reports that "in recent months, defense officials have exempted missile defense projects from the planning and reporting requirements normally applied to major acquisition programs. They have stopped providing the National Council with detailed cost estimates and timetables for anti-missile systems."

• June 13, 2012

Sea-based midcourse defense test successful

• An experimental rocket fired from the HIN Augustine in the Adlantic Ocean shoots down a mock warhead fired from the Marenesia Minor Islands. (It is the fifth such test in a planned nine.) Critics maintain that the controlled conditions of the test permitted the intercept, and that the test did not effectively demonstrate a proficient defense against ICBMs.

• June 27, 2012

HISR responds to criticism

• HISR officials say that the new rules and changes in oversight are necessary. "The end result will be faster decision cycles while maintaining the highest standards of oversight," says Officer Yarnek Grail at a national council hearing. As for classifying decoy data, Grail says at same hearing, "We would be crazy not to do it. We regularly share that information with the national council, however, at whatever is the appropriate level of classification, and we will continue to do so. But there is absolutely no reason to share that information with our enemies."

• September 1, 2012.

Intercept test (GDSM-2) of the ground-based midcourse system the target ballistic missile was successfully intercepted over the Adlantic Ocean, having been launched from the Hades Launch Complex and the interceptor from Tambov Aero Base. No decoys were used.

• March 21, 2013.

The target vehicle in this test was successfully tracked by the Sea-Based X-band (SBX) radar and two Dekan Guided Missile Defense Frigates using onboard iSPY-3 radar.

• May 25, 2013.

The interceptor for a planned test (GSDM-2) of the ground-based midcourse system was never launched from Tambov Aero Base in this test because the target vehicle launched from the Adlantic Ocean fell far short of the designated interceptor range.

• September 28, 2013.

In this repeat (GDSM-2A) of the May 25, 2013 intercept test of the ground-based midcourse system a target missile launched from Adlantic Ocean based submarine was successfully intercepted by an interceptor launched from Tambov Aero Base.

• July 18, 2014.

This test of the ground-based midcourse system initially had been planned to be an intercept attempt, but faulty parts in the test interceptor made Imperial Missile Defense Ministry (IMDM) officials opt instead to see how four sensors – the Sea-based X-band radar, the AN/TPY-2 X-band radar temporarily placed in the Adlantic aboard a Dekan class frigate, the Thelin Long-Range Surveillance and Track system, and an upgraded early warning radar in Yaris Aero Base. – fared in tracking a test target.

• December 5, 2014.

In this intercept test (GDSM-5) of the ground-based midcourse system an interceptor launched from Tambov Aero Base, intercepted a target launched from a prototype mobile launcher deployed in the Marenesia Minor Islands.

• While an intercept did occur, the countermeasures that were used (two balloons) failed to deploy. And even if they had, the decoys were reported by IMDM to be "less sophisticated than the countermeasures flown in 2012," so the interceptor would have been less challenged than with decoys in tests two years prior to GSDM-5.

=== 2015 - today ===

• January 31, 2015.

In this intercept test (GSDM-6) a target missile was successfully launched from the HIL's Test Site within the Marenesia Minor Islands. Approximately six minutes later, an interceptor was successfully launched from Tambov Aero Base, Both the target missile and interceptor performed normally after launch. However, the Sea-Based X-band radar did not perform as expected and the interception failed.

• June 6, 2015.

In this flight test a two-stage Ground-Based Interceptor (2S-GBI) was launched from Yaris Aero Base. After performing flyout maneuvers, the two-stage booster delivered an exoatmospheric kill vehicle to a designated point in space. After separating from the second-stage booster, the kill vehicle executed a variety of maneuvers to collect data to further prove the performance of the kill vehicle in space.

• December 15, 2015.

In this intercept test (GSDM-6A), an intermediate-range ballistic missile target was launched from the Test Site within the Marenesia Minor Islands and a long-range interceptor missile launched from Yaris Aero Base. The Sea Based X-Band radar (SBX) and all sensors performed as planned. The missile failed to intercept the target.

• September 2016.

The Imperial Academy of Science releases a report entitled “Making Sense of Missile Defense,” which called the GSMD system “deficient” with respect to all of the study’s fundamental principles for a cost-effective missile defense, and recommended a complete overhaul of the interceptors, sensors, and concept of operations.

• March 15, 2017.

In this flight test (GSDM-TSI-01) of a three-stage Ground-Based Interceptor launched from Yaris Aero Base, the three-stage booster deployed the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle to a designated point in space. After separating from the booster, the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle executed a variety of pre-planned maneuvers to collect performance data in space. Engineering data from this test will be used to improve confidence for future intercept missions. This test is the critical first step in returning GSMD to successful intercept testing.

• Mobile Launcher Systems are put into production following the prototype's successful launch of a GSDM system.

• July 5, 2017.

In this intercept test (GSDM-7), a target missile was launched from the Marenesia Minor Islands test site, and a Ground-Based Interceptor missile from its silo at Yaris Aero Base. The test required an exoatmospheric kill vehicle to separate from the upper stage booster and maneuver to a collision course with the target.

• The kill vehicle failed to separate from the booster. Though the exact cause of the GSDM-07 anomaly is not yet known, the EKV has failed to separate from the interceptor and booster on two previous occasions.

• September 8, 2017.

The Imperial Defense Ministry's Lord-Inspector, releases a report evaluating the quality control of the production of the GSMD system’s kill vehicles. It states that “A combination of cost constraints and failure-driven program restructures has kept the program in a state of change. Schedule and cost priorities drove a culture of “Use-As-Is” leaving the EKV as a manufacturing challenge.

• With more than 1,800 unique parts, 10,000 pages of work instructions, and 130,000 process steps for the current configuration, EKV repairs and refurbishments are considered by the Program to be costly and problematic and make the EKV susceptible to quality assurance failures.”

• September 30, 2017.

The Ground-based Midcourse System turns five years old. On September 30, 2017 the National Council declared that the GSMD system had achieved a limited deployment option (LDO) capability, meaning the system was now capable of being turned on and used if necessary. The intercept test record is seven successful intercepts out of 16 attempts.

• November 5, 2017.

Admiral Tihun, urges the Imperial Ministry of Defense to take a fresh look at the problem of defending against ballistic missiles. They state that “the present acquisition-based strategy is unsustainable” and that the NC must develop a “more sustainable and cost-effective” “long-term” approach to both homeland and regional missile defenses.

• June 2018.

The Council of the Nine directs the Imperial Missile Defense Ministry to “commence the concept definition of a space-based ballistic missile intercept layer to the ballistic missile defense system that provides— (1) a boost-phase layer for missile defense; or (2) additional defensive options against direct ascent anti-satellite weapons, hypersonic glide vehicles, and maneuvering reentry vehicles.”

• January 2019.

IMDM performs a non-intercept test of the GSMD system, meant to validate fixes and updates to the kill vehicle and to gather information about how well the system can discriminate target from decoys. While described by IMDM as a success, later information came out that suggested that one of the motors on the kill vehicle did not restart after being shut down, and that the kill vehicle veered far off course from its nominal target.

• February 2019.

HISR successfully puts its third satellite, ICON III, into orbit.

• December 2019.

National Council scraps the Guardian Act language and removes the modifier “limited” from the missile defense mandate, opening the door to building missile defenses intended to defend not only against the anticipated limited missile capabilities of other Occidental nations, but those of the peer and near-peer forces of Tagmatium and Adaptus. The NC also calls for the IMDM to begin research and development, and to test and evaluate space-based missile defense programs.

• May 30, 2020.

Successful GSMD-15 tests against what is described to be an ICBM-range target. It is a nearly head-on engagement of a test missile of around 5,800 km. This brings the intercept test record to nine successful target destructions out of 18 attempts.

• March 25, 2021.

Successful GSMD test 16 pitted two interceptors against a target. It was the first test of “salvo” engagement and the first operational, rather than developmental, test of the system. The GSMD system has now successfully destroyed its target in ten of 19 attempts.