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 .

Missile Defense Contracts Awarded to Miltec, Lockheed Martin

Miltec, Lockheed Martin land missile defense contracts

"...Miltec Corp. of Huntsville was awarded a $44 million contract for labor, materiel and research and development on the Advanced Hypersonic Weapon - Technology Demonstration for Space and Missile Defense Command. The contract covers work through June 2019 and will take place in Huntsville...."

Reference: www.al.com .

The strategic ground is shifting: US needs to enhance missile defense to counter North Korean threat

Missile Defense and the North Korean Nuclear Threat

"...many in Washington and Seoul to believe that the DPRK is planning to conduct its fourth nuclear test and/or another long-range missile test to enhance the credibility of its nuclear deterrent. But while public attention is once again on the idea of a North Korean nuclear-tipped ICBM that could threaten the continental United States, the strategic ground is shifting...."

Reference: thediplomat.com .

Russian jet loaded with missiles pulls dangerous fly-by aimed at U.S. aircraft

'Dangerous' Russian jet fly-by was 'straight out of a movie'

"...U.S. Air Force RC-135U aircraft flying on a routine mission over the Sea of Okhotsk was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 Flanker aircraft. The Russian aircraft turned and "showed its belly" to the U.S. crew so they could see it was armed with missiles..."
Reference: www.cnn.com .

Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense Project Office, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon serves with Habitat for Humanity in Huntsville

Air/missile defense team puts back into community

"...On April 26, several members, friends and family of the Army Integrated Air and Missile Defense Project Office partnered with their counterparts from Northrop Grumman and Raytheon to serve at the Habitat for Humanity in Huntsville...."

Reference: www.theredstonerocket.com .

Hawaii residents saw mysterious lights in the Tuesday night sky (video)

Lights confirmed as contrails from Kauai missile test

"...The mysterious lights that Hawaii residents saw in the Tuesday night sky was indeed the shifting contrails of the Aegis missile that was being tested on Kauai..."

Reference: www.kitv.com

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Medium Extended Air Defense System Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe subsystem has received full certification

MEADS System certified for identifying friend or foe aircraft

"...The Multifunction Fire Control Radar is a 360-degree X-band, solid-state, phased array radar that provides precision tracking and wideband discrimination and classification capabilities. Both radars provide threat-detection capability against highly maneuverable, low-signature threats, including short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and other air-breathing threats...."

Reference: www.financial-news.co.uk .

SM-3 IIA Builds

Raytheon Eyes Early SM-3 IIA Builds

"...The proposal will include the sale of 22 of the missiles, which are now being developed,..."

Reference: aviationweek.com .

Missile Defense is a good economic partner; Greely Missile-defense Base Could Launch Construction Boom

New Structure at Greely Missile-defense Base Could Launch Construction Boom

"...Work on an $80 million structure at Fort Greely’s missile-defense base is expected to begin by midsummer. But it’ll be mostly design work; military officials say major construction on the project probably won’t get going until next summer. ..."

Reference: kuac.org .

Possible first stage of a KN-08 road-mobile ICBM

North Korea testing engine for possible nuclear missile, say analysts

"...The US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University said images of the North's main rocket launch site suggested one "and maybe more" tests of what was probably the first stage of a KN-08 road-mobile ICBM...."

Reference: www.theguardian.com .

Huntsville-made Standard Missile-3 Block IB deployed for the first time aboard Navy ship

Alabama-made Standard-Missile 3 deployed for first time on Navy ship

"..."The SM-3 Block IB's completion of initial operational testing last year set the stage for a rapid deployment to theater," said Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence, president of Raytheon Missile Systems. "The SM-3's highly successful test performance gives combatant commanders around the world the confidence they need to counter the growing ballistic missile threat." ..."

Reference: www.al.com .

Two more Aegis-equipped ballistic-missile defense ships headed to Japan by 2017

Hagel: U.S. to Send 2 More Aegis Ships to Japan

"...For reasons a senior defense official said included North Korean provocations, treaty commitments to Japan and U.S. national security interests, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said today that the United States will send Japan two more Aegis-equipped ballistic-missile defense ships by 2017...."

Reference: www.defense.gov .

Next intercept test in June

U.S. aims to correct issue behind 2013 failed missile defense test

"...The failed intercept last July involved the earlier version of the Raytheon kill vehicle, which failed to separate from the third stage of the booster rocket. Eventually both versions will be replaced by the new kill vehicle..."

Reference: www.reuters.com .

India test launches long range N-missile from under the sea

India test fires long range N-missile launched from under sea

"...The submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is being readied for deployment on various platforms including the around 6,000-tonne indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant which will soon be ready for sea trials, sources said. ..."

Reference: www.business-standard.com .

Fact Checking News Shows On Missile Defense Statements

PunditFact: Fact-checking the Sunday March 23 news shows

"...We can't check what Obama should have done, but we can look at Romney's assertion that Obama nixed a missile defense program in Eastern Europe "as a gift to Russia."..."

Reference: www.tampabay.com .

Help the U.S. Space & Rocket Center build a new public exhibition featuring the Shuttle Training Aircraft used by space shuttle astronauts!

Help the U.S. Space & Rocket Center build a new public exhibition featuring the Shuttle Training Aircraft used by space shuttle astronauts!

"...The U.S. Space & Rocket Center Foundation in Huntsville, Alabama is asking for your help to raise $70,000 to begin installation of a Gulfstream II Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA) in the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s Shuttle Park. The aircraft, which bears the tail number N945NA..."
Reference: Rocket City .

North Korea Launches 10 short-range missiles

North Korea fires 10 short-range missiles: Yonhap

"...North Korea fired 10 short-range missiles into the sea off the east of the Korean peninsula on Sunday, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported..."

Reference: www.reuters.com .

MDA Director Vice Adm. James D. Syring Discusses Missile Defense Threats, Capabilities

Missile Defense Agency Director Discusses Threats, Capabilities

Department of Navy Photo

"...Navy Vice Adm. James D. Syring discussed the Missile Defense Agency’s concerns and its interests in improving capability and capacity during Aviation Week’s Defense Technologies and Requirements Conference. “All you have to do is read the press over the last week or so,” he said. “You [can] start to piece together what we’re concerned about, and the threat that is posed by the increasing ballistic missile threat around the world.”..."
Reference: www.defense.gov .

Reinstate the ballistic missile defense program and policy

Republicans: Revisit scrapped missile defense program to help Ukraine

"...Mr. Obama's move away from Bush's program in 2009 was largely perceived as a concession to pressure from Russia to cancel the program, something the U.S. denied. And now, pressure is mounting to return to the system as a way to flex U.S. military might without putting troops on the ground in Eastern Europe...."

Reference: www.cbsnews.com .

Torch Technologies, Inc., Huntsville, Ala. awarded $70,997,405 contract for missile element simulation

MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX: Defense Dept. Contracts for Mar. 4, 2014

Torch Technologies, Inc.

"...Torch Technologies, Inc., Huntsville, Ala. was awarded a $70,997,405 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for missile element simulation which will enhance and maintain the current suite of missile modeling simulation, hardware-in-the-loop and prototype development facilities. Funding and work performance location will be determined with each order. Estimated completion date is Feb. 11, 2019. Bids were solicited via the Internet with one received. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-14-D-0017)...."
Reference: www.huntingtonnews.net .

2015 budget funding also to continue efforts aimed at developing a kill vehicle that could be used on a Standard-Missile-3 ...

Pentagon to upgrade, improve U.S. missile defense system

Missile Defense Agency Photo

"...The fiscal 2015 budget also continues to fund that work, Syring said, noting that the effort was aimed at developing a kill vehicle that could be used on a ground-based interceptor, a Standard-Missile-3 or some future system...."
Reference: www.reuters.com .

Kuwait makes another order for patriot missile-defense systems from Raytheon

Raytheon reports $655 million order for Patriot missile-defense system

"..."Kuwait is part of Patriot's current family of 12 nations that have already selected Patriot as the cornerstone of their air and missile defense strategy. Their decision to further strengthen their defenses with technologically advanced new production fire units reaffirms our strong partnership and their trust in Patriot to protect Kuwait's people and critical infrastructure."..."

Reference: www.bizjournals.com .

Will Missile Defense Be Harmed By DoD Cuts To Navy Cruiser Fleet? Ticonderoga class cruisers are equipped with anti-ballistic missile capability. Are any of these cruisers included?

DoD budget seeks cuts in BAH, commissary, Tricare benefits

"...The big impact on the Navy’s surface fleet will be on cruisers. Half of the Navy’s cruiser fleet — 11 ships — will be “laid up,” meaning they will be taken out of normal deployment rotations and essentially left unmanned...."

Reference: www.militarytimes.com

More Reading: Hagel also discussed a plan to take half the fleet’s 22 Aegis cruisers out of service, laying them up pending the availability of modernization funds.

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USS Donald Cook and other destroyers form the centerpiece of Europe’s Phased Adaptive Approach program

USS Donald Cook prepares for first ballistic missile defense patrol

Photo: U.S. Navy

"...The Cook is the first of four American destroyers to move to Rota over the next two years, each equipped with Aegis radar system and SM-3 missiles capable of intercepting medium-range ballistic missiles. Together the ships will form the centerpiece of Europe’s Phased Adaptive Approach program, a missile shield with radar in Turkey, a command element in Germany, and ground-based interceptors in Romania and Poland. ..."
Reference: www.stripes.com .