Iran Test Fires Medium-Range Ballistic Missile, CNN Reports

Iran Test Fires Medium-Range Ballistic Missile, CNN Reports

"...The Shabaab-3 missile didn’t pose a threat to shipping or U.S. bases in the region, CNN Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr tweeted, citing the official..."

Reference: www.bloomberg.com .

Long-range ballistic missile hit by kill-vehicle in Sunday missile test

Missile Defense Test Deemed a Success

"...kill-vehicle launched Sunday from the Lompoc base successfully struck a long-range ballistic missile launched from the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific as part of an ongoing missile defense program..."

Reference: www.independent.com .

Ground-based interceptor will try to hit target weapon launched from Kwajalein Atoll this month

Major Missile Defense Test Planned for Vandenberg Air Force Base This Month

"... At the hearing, however, Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, referred to the test as being June 22. Officials won’t confirm the test date until the Air Force has issued notices to aviators and mariners..."

Reference: www.noozhawk.com .

MEADS Missile Test: simultaneous targets intercepted and destroyed

Unprecedented Dual Intercept Success For MEADS At White Sands Missile Range

"...The Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS) intercepted and destroyed two simultaneous targets attacking from opposite directions during a stressing demonstration of its 360-degree air and missile defense (AMD) capabilities at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. The flight test achieved all criteria for success...."

Reference: www.sacbee.com .

Missile test prompts UFO reports

US Army missile test sparks UFO reports in Southwest

"...PHOENIX — People across the Southwest got an early-morning show in the sky Thursday, courtesy of a trio of unarmed missiles fired from New Mexico, one of which left a brilliant contrail that changed colors as it was illuminated by the rising sun. ..."

Reference: www.msnbc.msn.com .

Wednesday missile launch postponed

Vandenberg postpones missile launch

"...The Air Force has postponed a Minuteman 3 launch planned for Wednesday, saying more analysis is needed about why the last missile test failed nearly two months ago...."

Reference: santamariatimes.com .

Missile launch overcomes unprogrammed holds due to boats in hazard areas

Missile Launched

"...boats detected at different times in the hazard area resulted in additional unprogrammed holds. Still, those issues were overcome allowing for a safe launch within the established window...."

Reference: www.edhat.com .

X-51 WaveRider missile test is scheduled for March 22

Air Force Gears Up for Hypersonic Missile Test

"..."Our next flight is scheduled for March 22," Charlie Brink, Air Force Research Laboratory's X-51A program manager, told AOL News today...."

Reference: www.aolnews.com .

US missile-defence test fails over Pacific

US missile-defence test fails over Pacific

"...A team led by Lockheed Martin Corp and Raytheon is competing to oust Boeing next year and take over continued development, manufacturing, test, training, operations support and sustainment of the ground-based defence. The contract is worth about $4.2 billion over seven years..."

Reference: www.iol.co.za .

Vandenberg Launches Nuke-Capable Missile

Vandenberg Launches Nuke-Capable Missile

"...Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Donley, visited Vandenberg Air Force Base on Wednesday, June 16, to witness the test flight of a Minuteman III, an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) ..."

Reference: independent.com .

2-stage missile meets test goals

2-stage missile meets test goals

"...The Missile Defense Agency said Sunday's test of a two-stage version of the three-stage ground-based interceptor missile already protecting the United States was a success. The three-stage GBI is deployed at Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base..."

Reference: www.al.com .

Modified Ground-Based Interceptor Completes Successful Flight Test

Modified Ground-Based Interceptor Completes Successful Flight Test

"...A target missile was not launched for this flight test. After performing flyout maneuvers, the two-stage booster delivered an exoatmospheric kill vehicle to a designated point in space. The exoatmospheric kill vehicle is the component that, if a target missile were present, would collide directly with the threat warhead to perform a “hit to kill” intercept. 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...."

Reference: www.mda.mil .

Indo-Israeli missile successfully test-fired

Indo-Israeli missile successfully test-fired

"...India will conduct the second test of the missile, also called as Barak-2 by next year. The missile will be integrated by Indian technicians. ..."

Reference: www.brahmand.com .

Air Force to Test Supersonic Missile Tomorrow, Space Plane's Mission Revealed

Air Force to Test Supersonic Missile Tomorrow, Space Plane's Mission Revealed

"...The new missile is designed to have a unique profile from traditional ICBMs, to prevent nuclear powers like China and Russia from mistaking the missile for a nuclear warhead. The missile is to be launched from a B-52 Stratofortress bomber...."

Reference: www.dailytech.com .

Iran Guards test missiles, warn enemies

Iran Guards test missiles, warn enemies

"...Iran's Revolutionary Guards test-fired five missiles during war games in a waterway crucial for global oil supplies on Sunday, and a commander warned the Islamic Republic's enemies they would regret any attack...."

Reference: ca.reuters.com .

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

.

Test of newest U.S. missile defense technology will simulate attack by Iran

Test of newest U.S. missile defense technology will simulate attack by Iran
"...January test, the fake ICBM is slated to originate from the Missile Defense Agency's launch facility in the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific while the interceptor missile will be launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, according to Lehner...."
Reference: www.cnn.com

.

Boeing Supports Successful Intercept Test of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System

Boeing Supports Successful Intercept Test of Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System
"...intercepted a ballistic missile target with a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3). Fired from the USS Hopper, the SM-3 Block IA missile, guided by the Aegis BMD weapon system and a Boeing-built kinetic warhead sensor, engaged and destroyed the short-range ballistic missile target launched from the Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai. ..."
Reference: www.webwire.com

.

No U.S. Plans to Stop Korea on Missile Test

No U.S. Plans to Stop Korea on Missile Test
"...An independent security think-tank released satellite images on Sunday that it said confirmed the presence of the Taepondong-2 missile on the North’s Musudan-ri launch pad. The content of the photos, analyzed by the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, had not yet been confirmed by the Defense Department by Monday, but they echoed South Korean news reports last week that said the missile had been put in place...."
Reference:www.nytimes.com

.