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Archives by category > ABM (RSS)

Serious Dollars for AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD)

Jun 29, 2022 04:56 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Lockheed Martin won a $13.3 million cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to previously awarded contract N00024-13-C-5116 for AEGIS Combat System Engineering Agent (CSEA) efforts. Work will take place in New Jersey. Expected completion will be by December 2022. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, DC, is the contracting activity.

AEGIS-BMD CG-70 Launches SM-3

AEGIS-BMD: CG-70
launches SM-3

The AEGIS Ballistic Missile Defense System seamlessly integrates the SPY-1 radar, the MK 41 Vertical Launching System for missiles, the SM-3 Standard missile, and the ship’s command and control system, in order to give ships the ability to defend against enemy ballistic missiles. Like its less-capable AEGIS counterpart, AEGIS BMD can also work with other radars on land and sea via Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC). That lets it receive cues from other platforms and provide information to them, in order to create a more detailed battle picture than any one radar could produce alone.

AEGIS has become a widely-deployed top-tier air defense system, with customers in the USA, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Norway, and Spain. In a dawning age of rogue states and proliferation of mass-destruction weapons, the US Navy is being pushed toward a “shield of the nation” role as the USA’s most flexible and most numerous option for missile defense. AEGIS BMD modifications are the keystone of that effort – in the USA, and beyond.

Continue Reading… »

Timely Defenders: Keeping Patriots in Shape

Jun 17, 2022 04:54 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Charlie Battery, 1-1 ADA (Air Defense Artillery), 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade based in Japan successfully destroyed a cruise missile target using two PAC-3 air defense missile interceptors on June 15 in Palau. This is the first time the Patriot missile has been fired from Palau and the second time the US conduct such live-firing of the Patriot missile west of the International Date Line. According to the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, targeting data was provided from an F-35.

Patriot System

Patriot system

The USA’s MIM-104 Phased Array Tracking Radar Intercept On Target (PATRIOT) anti-air missile system offers an advanced backbone for medium-range air defense, and short-range ballistic missile defense, to America and its allies. This article covers domestic and foreign purchase requests and contracts for Patriot systems. It also compiles information about the engineering service contracts that upgrade these systems, ensure that they continue to work, and integrate them with wider command and defense systems.

The Patriot missile franchise’s future appears assured. At present, 12 nations have chosen it as a key component of their air and missile defense systems: the USA, Germany, Greece, Japan, Israel, Kuwait, The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan and the UAE. Poland, Qatar, and Turkey have all indicated varying levels of interest, and some existing customers are looking to upgrade their systems.

Continue Reading… »

E-2D Hawkeye: The Navy’s New AWACS

May 25, 2022 04:58 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Lockheed Martin won a $13.3 million deal, which provides for engineering, development and production of Operational Test Program Sets (OTPS) to support AN/APY-9 Radar Avionics Line Replaceable Modules (LRMs). These OTPSs will provide support for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program and will be used at the depot level to provide test and repair capabilities for the LRMs. Work will take place in New York. Expected completion date will be in September 2025.
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E-2D Collage

Northrop Grumman’s E-2C Hawkeye is a carrier-capable “mini-AWACS” aircraft, designed to give long-range warning of incoming aerial threats. Secondary roles include strike command and control, land and maritime surveillance, search and rescue, communications relay, and even civil air traffic control during emergencies. E-2C Hawkeyes began replacing previous Hawkeye versions in 1973. They fly from USN and French carriers, from land bases in the militaries of Egypt, Japan, Mexico, and Taiwan; and in a drug interdiction role for the US Naval Reserve. Over 200 Hawkeyes have been produced.

The $17.5 billion E-2D Advanced Hawkeye program aims to build 75 new aircraft with significant radar, engine, and electronics upgrades in order to deal with a world of stealthier cruise missiles, saturation attacks, and a growing need for ground surveillance as well as aerial scans. It looks a lot like the last generation E-2C Hawkeye 2000 upgrade on the outside – but inside, and even outside to some extent, it’s a whole new aircraft.

Continue Reading… »

THAAD: Reach Out and Touch Ballistic Missiles

May 02, 2022 04:56 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Lockheed Martin won a $304.9 million modification. Under it, the contractor will produce and deliver Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Interceptors and associated one-shot devices to support US government requirements. Work will take place in Texas, California, Alabama, Arkansas. Estimated completion date is December 1, 2027.

THAAD Missile in flight

THAAD: In flight

The Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is a long-range, land-based theater defense weapon that acts as the upper tier of a basic 2-tiered defense against ballistic missiles. It’s designed to intercept missiles during late mid-course or final stage flight, flying at high altitudes within and even outside the atmosphere. This allows it to provide broad area coverage against threats to critical assets such as population centers and industrial resources as well as military forces, hence its previous “theater (of operations) high altitude area defense” designation.

This capability makes THAAD different from a Patriot PAC-3 or the future MEADS system, which are point defense options with limited range that are designed to hit a missile or warhead just before impact. The SM-3 Standard missile is a far better comparison, and land-based SM-3 programs will make it a direct THAAD competitor. So far, both programs remain underway.

Continue Reading… »

Israel’s Arrow Theater Missile Defense

Mar 31, 2022 04:54 UTC

Latest updates[?]: Globes reports that Bahrain and UAE are keen on acquiring the IAI Arrow 3 ballistic missile defense system. The potential purchase was discussed at the Negev Summit in Israel. Besides the Arrow 3, both countries and Morocco are keen on purchasing the Iron Dome as well.

Arrow Interception Concept

Arrow test concept

In a dawning age of rogue states, ballistic missile defenses are steadily become a widely accepted necessity. Iran is widely believed to be developing nuclear capabilities, and Israeli concerns were heightened after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad urged that Israel be “wiped off the map” (the fact that America was also placed in that category went largely uncovered).

Because missile defenses are so important, states like India and Israel have taken steps to ensure that they have the ability to build many of the key pieces. The Arrow project is a collaboration between Boeing and IAI to produce the missile interceptors that accompany the required radars, satellites, command and control systems.

NOTE: Article capped and coverage suspended in 2011.

Continue Reading… »

SM-3 BMD, in from the Sea: EPAA & Aegis Ashore

Sep 06, 2021 04:54 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Lockheed Martin won a $12.6 million deal to exercise options for Aegis design agent field engineering services. Services include test and evaluation, engineering change development, ordnance/ship alterations, modernization engineering, logistics and technical support, ordnance alterations kit development, integration and test support, AN/SPY-1 series radar antenna refurbishment and Coast Guard deep-water program design agent field engineering support. The services are in support of Aegis-equipped CGs and DDGs, allied Aegis-equipped ships, and Coast Guard Aegis-configured ships. Work will take place in Virginia, California and Florida. Estimated completion will be by September 2022.

LB SM-3 concept

Land-based SM-3 concept

SM-3 Standard missiles have been the backbone of the US Navy’s ballistic missile defense plans for many years now, and are beginning to see service in the navies of allies like Japan. Their test successes and long range against aerial threats have spawned a land-based version, which end up being even more important to the USA’s allies.

In July 2008 the US Missile Defense Agency began considering a land-based variant of the SM-3, largely due to specific requests from Israel. Israel currently fields the medium range Arrow-2 land-based ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) system, and eventually elected to pursue the Arrow-3 instead of SM-3s. Once the prospect had been raised, however, the US government decided that basing SM-3 missiles on land was a really good idea. The European Phased Adaptive Approach to missile defense is being built around this concept, and other regions could see similar deployments.

Continue Reading… »

Floatin’ Smokey: The USA’s SBX Radar

Aug 16, 2021 04:56 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Great Eastern won a $9.1 modification to exercise and fund the second 12-month option on a firm-fixed-price contract with reimbursable elements for the offshore support vessel Hercules. This vessel will be utilized to support refueling and resupply of the Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX-1). The contract includes a 12-month base period, three 12-month option periods, and one 11-month option period. Work will take place in the US Pacific Command’s area of responsibility. Estimated completion date is July 15, 2024.

Radar SBX ABM Radar Pearl Harbour

SBX-1, Pearl Harbor

As rogue state proliferation by the likes of North Korea made missile defense a growing priority for nations including the USA, Japan, and Israel, the USA began to look at the linchpin of any defense: powerful radars that could both track ballistic missiles, and guide interceptors. The USA has its BMEWS tracking system, but that would not serve. America’s Safeguard ABM system was dismantled long ago – though Russia still maintains its counterpart System A-135 network around Moscow. Something new would be needed.

Enter Raytheon’s new XBR radar, based on an SBX-1 platform that looks a lot like a mobile oil drilling rig. Basing the radar at sea offers numerous advantages. One is the obvious ability to move the radar as threats materialize, allowing much greater coverage with fewer radars. Another is the ability to protect allies, without having to invest in expensive systems whose regional capabilities and value to the USA could be put at risk by the decisions of a single foreign government. In exchange for this freedom from political interference, of course, the designers must contend with nature’s interference in the stormy Pacific.

Boeing SBX system is linked to its land-based GMD (Ground-based Mid-course Defense) missile system but can also operate with other naval and land elements.

Continue Reading… »

Japan’s Fleet BMD: Upgrades & UORs

Dec 21, 2020 04:52 UTC

Latest updates[?]: Local media reports that Japanese defense officials are considering the option of installing new long-range standoff attack missiles on the two new Aegis warships to be built. Yomuiri Shimbun says the range of the new indigenous missiles will be around 1,000 km. The government may install such missiles on the two ships equipped with Aegis missile interceptor systems in response to increasing naval activities by Beijing in the East China Sea amid tensions over the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands, which Beijing claims and calls the Diaoyu. The Cabinet approved Friday the building of the two vessels to enhance its defense capabilities in the face of the North Korean missile threat.

DDG-173 JS Kongo

JS Kongou

The JMSDF (Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force) is working closely with the USA on missile defense activities. Air Force cooperation has also improved by leaps and bounds, allowing for much closer coordination with the USA in all aspects of operations – including missile tracking.

Japanese involvement includes modification and improvements to the SM-3 long-range anti-air/ABM missile. This weapon will form the outer layer of Japan’s ABM system, deployed from its current fleet of 4 Kongo Class AEGIS destroyers and their 2 larger Atago Class successors. The inner layer will consist of land-based Japan Self Defense Forces PAC-3 Patriot missiles, and together they will form the initial ballistic missile defense architecture for mainland Japan.

Continue Reading… »

CEC: Cooperative Engagement for Fleet Defense

May 10, 2019 04:58 UTC DII

Latest updates[?]: Raytheon won a $15.3 million contract in support of the Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC). The deal includes design agent and engineering service efforts. According to Raytheon, the CEC program provides a sensor network with integrated fire control capability that significantly improves strike force air and missile defense capabilities by coordinating measurement data from strike force air search sensors on CEC-equipped units into a single, integrated real-time, composite track air picture. CEC improves battle force effectiveness by improving overall situational awareness and by enabling longer range, cooperative, multiple, or layered engagement strategies. CEC will be designed to help the military service coordinate measurement data from sensors during strike force air search missions and facilitate battle force situational awareness. Raytheon will perform work in Florida. The scheduled completion date is in September 2022.

CEC Concept

CEC Concept
(click to enlarge)

Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC) is the US Navy’s secret weapon. Actually, it’s not so secret. It’s just that its relatively low price means often leads people to overlook the revolutionary change it creates for wide-area fleet air and ballistic missile defense.

CEC is far more than a mere data-sharing program, or even a sensor fusion effort. The concept behind CEC is a sensor netting system that allows ships, aircraft, and even land radars to pool their radar and sensor information together, creating a very powerful and detailed picture that’s much finer, more wide-ranging, and more consistent than any one of them could generate on its own. The data is then shared among all ships and participating systems, using secure frequencies. It’s a simple premise, but a difficult technical feat. With huge implications.

This DID FOCUS Article explains those mechanics and implications. It will also track ongoing research, updates, and contracts related to CEC capabilities from 2000 forward.

Continue Reading… »

Missile Defense: Next Steps for the USA’s GMD

Mar 26, 2019 04:58 UTC

Latest updates[?]: The US Missile Defense Agency awarded Boeing a $4 billion contract modification to Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) and Development and Sustainment Contract (DSC). The modification will extend the DSC period from January 2018 to December 2023. The GMD is designed specifically to counter long-range ballistic missiles threatening the US homeland. It uses a three-stage booster, giving the necessary “legs” to perform intercepts over great distances. This range gives GMD by far the greatest coverage area of any US missile defense system, defending all fifty states and Canada. The modification also includes the delivery of a new missile field with 20 silos and two extra silos in a previously constructed missile field at Fort Greely in Alaska. The Missile Defense Agency is also deferring the production of 20 additional Ground Based Interceptors (GBIs) due to the deal associated with not meeting the entrance criteria for the Redesigned Kill Vehicle (RKV) critical design review. GBIs are silo-launched and intercept ballistic missiles in their midcourse, while they are outside of the atmosphere and at their highest trajectory. The missile consists of a multi-stage rocket booster and a kinetic kill vehicle, which makes interception of ballistic missile warheads possible using hit-to-kill technology. The definitized part of the modification provides for technical capabilities to improve a state-of-the-art missile defense system in order of ensuring that defensive capabilities remain relevant and current. These efforts include Boost Vehicle (BV) development; providing GBI assets for labs and test events; development, integration, testing and deployment of ground systems software builds to address emerging threats; development and fielding of upgraded launch support equipment; expanded systems testing through all ground and flight testing; cyber security support and testing; and, operations and support via performance based logistics approach. Work will take place within the US.

GMD launch

GMD launch, 2001

The USA’s Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) program uses land-based missiles to intercept incoming ballistic missiles in the middle of their flight, outside the atmosphere. The missiles are currently based at 2 sites in the USA: 4 at Vandenberg AFB in California, and 20 (eventually 26) at Fort Greely in Alaska.

The well-known Patriot missiles provide what’s known as terminal-phase defense options, while longer-reach options like the land-based THAAD perform terminal or descent-phase interceptions. Even so, their sensors and flight ranges are best suited to defense against shorter range missiles launched from in-theater.

In contrast, GMD is designed to defend against intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). It depends on tracking that begins in the boost phase, in order to allow true mid-course interception attempts in space, before descent or terminal phase options like THAAD and then Patriot would be tried. In order to accomplish that task, GMD missiles must use data feeds from an assortment of long-range sensors, including satellites like SBIRS and DSP, some SPSS/BMEWS huge early-warning radars, and even the naval SBX radar.

Continue Reading… »
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