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...Missile Defense News


Sunday, January 31, 2010

Missile Test Launch Success, but failure to intercept


Missile Defense Test Conducted
"...The Missile Defense Agency conducted a flight test today of the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System.

A target missile was successfully launched at approximately 3:40 p.m. PST from the U.S. Army’s Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Approximately six minutes later, a Ground-Based Interceptor was successfully launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. Both the target missile and Ground-Based Interceptor performed nominally after launch. However, the Sea-Based X-band radar did not perform as expected.

Program officials will conduct an extensive investigation to determine the cause of the failure to intercept...."
Reference: www.mda.mil

Tags: mda jan 31 2010 pacific launch, AN/TPY-2, x band radar,
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Missile-test launch delayed

Missile-test launch delayed
"...a target weapon is scheduled to blast off from the Kwajalein Atoll about 4,200 miles southwest of Vandenberg...."

Reference: www.santamariatimes.com

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Saturday, January 30, 2010

Experts differ on whether UFOs are missiles, models


Experts differ on whether UFOs are missiles, models
"...He said the plume of smoke leads him to believe the object is moving towards a training target, but noted: “There is a very small chance that it was an inadvertent launch." Greatrix said the objects are not likely long-range ballistic missiles, but rather..."
Reference: www.ctv.ca

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Friday, January 29, 2010

Apology after test rocket amputates woman


Apology after test rocket amputates woman
"...THE Indonesian Government has apologised to a woman who lost her leg when a military rocket slammed into her house after a test launch, an official says.

Initially reported as falling safely in a prawn farm..."
Reference: www.heraldsun.com.au

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Thursday, January 28, 2010

Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Careers


Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Careers
"...The Missile Defense Agency is assembling a team of career professionals to develop and deploy one of the most challenging and advanced technological undertakings since the Manhattan Project.

Here’s your chance to participate in our layered Missile Defense System, which is being developed and tested to defend our country, our allies, and our troops in the field.

The MDA is looking for bright engineers, scientists, program managers and more with diverse background experience and education, insight, ability and a clear sense of mission...."
Reference: www.mda.mil

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Acquisition Center


Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Acquisition Center
"...The links provided will take you to current listings of MDA Solicitations and Contracts. Each list will provide pertinent information on what the acquisition is for and who to contact for information ...also provided a link to the FedBizOpps where announcements of all acquisitions and acquisition-related activities may be found...."
Reference: www.mda.mil

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Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Current MDA News Releases


Current MDA News Releases
"...Current MDA News Releases for your convenience, each news release is identified by a code describing the content of the release. ..."
Reference: www.mda.mil

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Missile Defense Agency calls on small businesses


Missile Defense Agency calls on small businesses
"...indefinite-quantity contracts a.i. solutions Inc., of Lanham, Md., A-P-T Research Inc., of Huntsville, Ala., and Bastion Technologies, of Houston, will assist the Missile Defense Agency’s Quality, Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate..."
Reference: defensesystems.com

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Monday, January 25, 2010

MDASmallBusiness.com


MDASmallBusiness.com
"...the Missile Defense Agency Office of Small Business Programs (MDA OSBP) Small Business website! Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the main functions of the site...."
Reference: mdasmallbusiness.com

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Video: Airborne Laser Tracks and Engages A Missile in Flight


Airborne Laser Tracks and Engages A Missile in Flight
"...The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has released a video of this futuristic system in action, tracking and engaging a test missile fired from San Nicolas Island off the California coast. While the video might come off just a bit anti-climactic, with no dramatic explosion to cap off the laser blast, it does prove one key thing: the system, at least if the video is to be believed, actually works...."
Reference: www.popsci.com


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US steps up missile attacks in Pakistan


US steps up missile attacks in Pakistan
"...The United States has unleashed an unprecedented number of missile attacks by unmanned drones in northwest Pakistan over the last two weeks, including one Thursday that officials said killed 12 alleged militants at a meeting of Taliban commanders...."
Reference: ap.org

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Missile-Shooting Ships on Station in the Gulf


Missile-Shooting Ships on Station in the Gulf
"...Speaking today at the Institute for the Study of War, Gen. David Petraeus, the head of U.S. Central Command, said two cruisers equipped with the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System “are in the Gulf at all times now.”..."
Reference: www.wired.com

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Friday, January 22, 2010

Lockheed Martin Poised To Respond To Draft RFP For Ground-based Midcourse Defense Development And Sustainment


Lockheed Martin Poised To Respond To Draft RFP For Ground-based Midcourse Defense Development And Sustainment
"...“Lockheed Martin is dedicated to partnering with the MDA and GMD program office to support and extend the life of this crucial fielded weapon system,” said retired Major Gen. John W. Holly, vice president, Missile Defense Systems, Lockheed Martin Space Systems. “We are committed to teaming with the best in industry to deliver consistent, performance-based outcomes across the GMD life cycle.”..."
Reference: www.lockheedmartin.com

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Monday, January 18, 2010

Raytheon's Standard Missile-6 completes guided test vehicle launch


Raytheon's Standard Missile-6 completes guided test vehicle launch
"...WHITE SANDS, N.M., 18 Jan. 2010. Raytheon Company's Standard Missile-6 completed its fourth guided test vehicle launch, clearing the way for the missile's at-sea testing..."
Reference: pennnet.com

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Did missile test spark Chinese UFO reports?


Did missile test spark Chinese UFO reports?
"...a Russian Bulava missile was launched from a submarine within sight of northern Norway, resulting in a spectacular spiral display and a spate of UFO sightings...."
Reference: www.msnbc.msn.com

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Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Northrop Wins Army Contract


Northrop Wins Army Contract
"...Northrop Grumman will also locate its IBCS program in Huntsville. IBCS is expected to be operational by 2014. Systems that would be integrated via IBCS include Patriot, Surface-Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (SLAMRAAM), Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor (JLENS), and..."
Reference: www.zacks.com

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How the Israelis do airport security


How the Israelis do airport security
"...real answer to greater security is to follow the approach used by Israel's airline, El Al. Isaac Yeffet, the former head of security for El Al and now an aviation security consultant in New York, said El Al has prevented terrorism in the air by making sure every..."
Reference: www.cnn.com

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Sunday, January 10, 2010

Video: Minuteman III Missile Launch - California to Kwajalein Atoll

Jan. 24, 2008



"...This Minuteman III video chronicles the Follow-on Test and Evaluation of a Minuteman III missile. It tells the story of what was perhaps the most photogenic missile launch in Vandenberg AFB histor......"
Reference: www.youtube.com


Click Here to Start Video

Global missile threat growing


Global missile threat growing
"...As the number of countries with missile programs grows, developing and fielding tools to protect U.S. troops and allies around the world is increasingly important, said retired Army Lt. Gen. John Holly, vice president of Lockheed Martin Missile Defense Systems in Huntsville. ..."
Reference: www.al.com

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Lockheed Martin execs outline some of the goals for missile defense programs in 2010


Lockheed Martin execs outline some of the goals for missile defense programs in 2010
"...The Targets and Countermeasures division will continue working with the MDA test program in 2010 and will soon see the maiden flight of the intermediate-range LV2 missile target, he said...."
Reference: al.com

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Saturday, January 9, 2010

Defense Acquisitions: Charting a Course for Improved Missile Defense Testing


Defense Acquisitions: Charting a Course for Improved Missile
Defense Testing

"...The Missile Defense Agency's mission is to develop an integrated and
layered BMDS to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies,
and friends. In order to meet this mission, MDA is developing a highly
complex system of systems--land, sea and space based sensors,
interceptors and battle management. Since its initiation in 2002, MDA
has been given a significant amount of flexibility in executing the
development and fielding of the BMDS. To enable MDA to field and
enhance a missile defense system quickly, the Secretary of Defense in
2002 delayed the entry of the BMDS program into the Department of
Defense's traditional acquisition process until a mature capability was
ready to be handed over to a military service for production and
operation. Therefore, the program concurrently develops, tests and
fields assets. This approach helped MDA rapidly deploy an initial
capability. On the other hand, because MDA can field assets before all
testing is completed, it has fielded some assets whose capability is
uncertain.

Because MDA develops and fields assets continuously, it combines
developmental testing with operational testing. In general,
developmental testing is aimed at determining whether the system design
will satisfy the desired capabilities; operational testing determines
whether the system is effective, survivable, and suitable in the hands
of the user. MDA conducts testing both on the ground and in flight. The
most complex of these is an end-to-end flight test that involves a test
of all phases of an engagement including detecting, tracking and
destroying a target with an interceptor missile. An end-to-end
intercept involves more than one MDA element. For example, a recent
intercept test involved a target flown out of Kodiak, Alaska, tracked
by the AN/TPY-2 radar located in Alaska, and the Beale upgraded early
warning radar located in California, the Sea-based X-band radar and an
Aegis radar located at different points in the Pacific. All of the
radars communicated with fire control centers in Alaska to guide an
interceptor launched from California to hit the target over the Pacific
Ocean.

Due to the complexity, scale, safety constraints, and cost involved,
MDA is unable to conduct a sufficient number of flight tests to fully
understand the performance of the system. Therefore, MDA utilizes
models and simulations, anchored by flight tests, to understand both
the developmental and operational performance of the system. To ensure
confidence in the accuracy of modeling and simulation the program goes
through a process called accreditation. The models are validated
individually using flight and other test data and accredited for their
intended use. Models and simulations are used prior to a flight test to
predict performance, the flight test is then run to gather data and
verify the models, and then data is analyzed after the flight and
reconstructed using the models and simulations to confirm their
accuracy.

MDA intends to group these models into system-level representations
according to user needs. One such grouping is the annual performance
assessment, a system-level end-to-end simulation that assesses the
performance of the BMDS configuration as it exists in the field. The
performance assessment integrates element-specific models into a
coherent representation of the BMDS. Fundamentally, performance
assessments anchored by flight tests are a comprehensive means to fully
understand the performance capabilities and limitations of the BMDS.

In addition to testing, modeling and simulation, and performance
assessments, MDA also has a formal process for determining when a newly
fielded asset or group of assets can be declared operational--that is,
cleared for use by the warfighter in operational situations. MDA uses a
variety of information as a basis to assess a new capability for
declaration. For example, MDA will define in advance tests, models, and
simulations it will use to base a specific decision on whether an asset
or capability can be declared ready for fielding. Each capability
designation so designated represents upgraded capacity to support the
overall function of BMDS in its mission as well as the level of MDA
confidence in the system's performance.

To assess testing related progress in fiscal year 2008, we examined the
accomplishments of ten BMDS elements that MDA is developing and
fielding. Our work included examining documents such as Program
Execution Reviews, test plans and reports, and production plans. We
also interviewed officials within each element program office and
within MDA functional directorates. In addition, we discussed each
element's test program and its results with DOD's Office of the
Director, Operational Test and Evaluation. We also interviewed
officials from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for
Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics.

Test, Targets and Performance Challenges Continue During Fiscal Year
2008:

MDA continues to experience difficulties achieving its goals for
testing. During fiscal year 2008, while several tests showed progress
in individual elements and some system level capabilities, all BMDS
elements experienced test delays or shortfalls. Most were unable to
accomplish all objectives and performance challenges continued for
many...."
Reference: www.gao.gov

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Friday, January 8, 2010

Israel readies new anti-missile system


Israel readies new anti-missile system
"...Israel has completed testing its Iron Dome short-range missile defense system, the second component of a planned multi-layered network to shield the Jewish state from missile attack by Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas...."
Reference: www.upi.com

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Saturday, January 2, 2010

Employment Spotlight: Raytheon Sr Mgr QA Engineering

Raytheon JLENS Employment


Raytheon Sr Mgr QA Engineering
"...Serve as a Quality Directorate Lead (QDL) within the Quality Cross-Business Team (CBT) supporting the JLENS programs. As a QDL, you will be representing the customer' ™ s best interests, assuring product quality and effectiveness through out the product life cycle, and developing solutions to ensure the program meets customer / end user objectives for Mission Assurance and ensure NoDoubt ' expectations...."
Reference: www.job.com

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Putin threatens new missiles to counter U.S. shield


Putin threatens new missiles to counter U.S. shield
"... Putin warned Tuesday that Russia will have to go ahead with a new class of advanced offensive nuclear missiles if the United States continues with plans to develop a defensive missile shield. ..."
Reference: washingtontimes.com

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Friday, January 1, 2010

Lockheed Martin Missiles & Missile Defense


Lockheed Martin Missiles & Missile Defense
"...Lockheed Martin is a global leader in the design, development and production of missiles and missile defense solutions for the United States and its allies around the world. The goal: Defend against attacks by ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and other airborne threats...."
Reference: www.lockheedmartin.com

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Link 16 military tactical data exchange network


Link 16 military tactical data exchange network
"...a TDMA-based secure, jam-resistant high-speed digital data link which operates over-the-air in the L band portion (969–1206 MHz) of the UHF spectrum. By definition, this limits the exchange of information to users within line-of-sight of one another, although recently emerging technologies provide the means to pass Link 16 data over various long-haul protocols such as TCP/IP and UHF SATCOM. It uses the transmission characteristics and protocols, conventions, and fixed-length (TADIL-J) or variable length(VMF) message formats defined by MIL-STD 6016, STANAG 5516 (formerly the JTIDS technical interface design plan). Information is typically passed at one of three data rates: 31.6, 57.6 or 115.2 kilobits per second, although the radios and waveform itself can support throughputs upwards of 238 kbit/s.

Link 16 information is primarily coded in so called J.-series messages, i.e. binary data words with well-defined meanings. These data words are grouped in functional areas, and allocated to network participation groups (virtual nets), most importantly:..."
Reference: en.wikipedia.org

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Raytheon: Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor (JLENS) System


Raytheon: Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor (JLENS) System
"...a tactical, theater-based, advanced sensor system. The system is elevated by tethered aerostats to enable battlefield commanders to increase their wide-area protection against land-attack cruise missiles.

JLENS provides the long endurance (up to 30 days on station), over-the-horizon detection and tracking capabilities required to defeat the proliferating cruise-missile threat. ..."
Reference: www.raytheon.com


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