In November 2003, some 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the Azores, the missile guidance capabilities were tested with live firings for the first time.[1] The firings involved the firing of a single ESSM and a single SM-2ER Block IIIA. These firings were the first ever live firings involving a full-size ship-borne active electronically scanned array (i.e., APAR) guiding missiles using the ICWI technique in an operational environment.[6] As related by Jane's Navy International: