SpaceX Launches Historic Arctic Satellite Mission from Vandenberg

"...August 11, 2024 At 7:02 p.m., SpaceX launched the Space Norway Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission mission (ASBM) to Molniya transfer orbit from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base. This was the 22nd flight of the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-1, Crew-2, SXM-8, CRS-23, IXPE, Transporter-4, Transporter-5, Globalstar FM15, ISI EROS C-3, Korea 425, Maxar 1, and 10 Starlink missions. ..."   
Source: www.edhat.com

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AUGUST 6-8, 2024 | Space and Mission Defense Symposium in Huntsville, Alabama

2024 Space and Missile Defense Symposium taking place at the Von Braun Center

"The theme for the 2024 symposium: Space and Integrated Air and Missile Defense, the key to victories in contested areas. You can watch all the videos from the symposium ..."

Reference: whnt.com .

Five US servicemembers injured in missile attack on base in Iraq

Five US servicemembers injured in missile attack on base in Iraq

"...One person seriously hurt; Pentagon head Austin discusses strike at al-Asad base with Gallant, both agree incident marks ‘dangerous escalation’ by Iran...one of the wounded Americans was seriously injured. The casualty count was based on initial reports which could still change, they said. “Base personnel are conducting a post-attack damage assessment,” one of the officials added. ..."

Reference: www.timesofisrael.com .

US orders missile defense systems to Middle East

US defense chief orders fighter jets, missile defense systems to Middle East

"... ordered the deployment of additional fighter jets along with additional ballistic missile defense-capable cruisers and destroyers to Europe and the Middle East in response to recent Iranian threats. ...The Pentagon is also taking steps to prepare to deploy additional land-based BMD systems. ... Department of Defense continues to take steps to mitigate the possibility of regional escalation by Iran or Iran’s partners and proxies,” she added. Both Iran and the Lebanese militant group vowed to retaliate against Israel"

Reference: alarabiya.net .

Biden administration announces huge $1.7 billion lethal aid package for Ukraine

Biden administration announces new $1.7 billion lethal aid package for Ukraine

"... aid package for Ukraine totaling about $1.7 billion and largely consisting of missiles and ammunition for missile, artillery and air defense systems the US has previously provided to Ukraine. ... The USAI package includes missiles for Ukraine’s National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile Systems (NASAMS), a key air defense platform. It also includes ammunition for Ukraine’s High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) "

Reference: CNN .

Alabama | This big new defense contract will put more in Huntsville to work

This big new defense contract will put more in Huntsville to work

"...Huntsville’s contribution to ballistic missile defense for the U.S. and its allies will likely ramp up after Raytheon Technologies was awarded a contract worth nearly $2 billion this week..."

Reference: www.al.com .

Russia's Putin vows 'mirror measures' in response to U.S. missiles in Germany

Russia's Putin vows 'mirror measures' in response to U.S. missiles in Germany

"...If the U.S. implements such plans, we will consider ourselves free from the previously imposed unilateral moratorium on the deployment of intermediate and shorter-range strike weapons, including increasing the capability of the coastal forces of our navy,” Putin said. He added that Moscow’s development of suitable systems is “in its final stage.” Both Washington and Moscow have in recent weeks signaled readiness to deploy intermediate-range ground-based weapons that were banned for decades under a 1987 U.S.-Soviet treaty. The U.S. pulled out of the agreement in 2019, accusing Moscow of conducting missile tests that violated it. ..."

Reference: abcnews.go.com .

Retired Astronaut Admits Boeing's Starliner Has Trapped Crew in Space

Retired Astronaut Admits Boeing's Starliner Has Trapped Crew in Space

"...An unnamed retired astronaut tells The Atlantic the obvious truth that NASA has been dancing around since the beginning of this space boondoggle: it's just too risky right now. "Of course they don’t feel comfortable putting them in the vehicle," the retired astronaut told the magazine, referring to the Starliner, which transported the astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) back in June and is meant to return them back home. "Otherwise they would have put them in it already."..."

Reference: futurism.com .

Hezbollah Missiles Destroy Israeli Factory As Iron Dome Fails Again; IDF 'Ready For Decisive War'

Hezbollah Missiles Destroy Israeli Factory As Iron Dome Fails Again; IDF 'Ready For Decisive War'

"...Hezbollah anti-tank guided missile struck a factory in the border community of Avivim in northern Israel last evening. ... Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the missile fire, saying it struck a building where IDF troops had gathered. ..."

Reference: www.msn.com .

US base at gas field in eastern Syria hit by missile attack - Source

US base at gas field in eastern Syria hit by missile attack - Source

"...Uniindia: Damascus, July 27 (UNI) A US base at the Conoco gas field in the province of Deir ez-Zur in eastern Syria has been hit by five missiles..."

Reference: www.uniindia.com .

Raytheon in Tucson wins $2 billion missile contract as RTX raises full-year guidance

Raytheon in Tucson wins $2 billion missile contract as RTX raises full-year guidance

"...Tucson-based missiles and defense products manufacturer Raytheon has won a nearly $2 billion contract that will supply the Japanese military as well as U.S. forces.

The contract with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency for $1,944,082,765 call for the manufacture and assembly of Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IIA All-Up Rounds, with work to be performed in Tucson and Alabama and completed by February 2031.

The SM-3 interceptor..."

Reference: www.bizjournals.com .

US-Japan Patriot missile production plan hits Boeing component roadblock

US-Japan Patriot missile production plan hits Boeing component roadblock

"...TOKYO, July 20 (Reuters) - A U.S. plan to use Japanese factories to boost production of Patriot air defence missiles - used by Ukraine to defend against Russian attacks - is being delayed by a shortage of a critical component manufactured by Boeing, four sources said. Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T) , opens new tab (MHI) already makes about 30 PAC-3 missiles each year under licence from defence contractor Lockheed Martin (LMT.N), opens new tab and can increase that number to about 60, two Japanese government officials and two industry sources told Reuters. ..."

Reference: www.reuters.com .

Protector of Missile Defense and America | Trump Vows 'Great Iron Dome,' 'Bring the World Glorious New Peace'

Trump Vows 'Great Iron Dome,' 'Bring the World Glorious New Peace'

"...The success of Israel's Iron Dome prompted presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump to vow to deliver a "great Iron Dome" to American skies.

He said President Joe Biden has the world teetering on the brink of a potential World War III.

"Biden's weakness has led the planet to the edge of nuclear war," Trump told his Wednesday rally from the Freeland, Michigan ..."

Reference: www.newsmax.com .

Pentagon inspector general to put the microscope on hypersonic defenses, CJADC2 ‘strategy’

Pentagon inspector general to put the microscope on hypersonic defenses, CJADC2 ‘strategy’

"The DoD IG announced the reviews amid a flurry of other new review projects, including one covering US Cyber Command's relationship with the NSA and how well the Pentagon would maintain C2 in the event of a nuclear attack. ...the “objective of the evaluation is to assess the DoD’s ability, using existing U.S. weapon systems, to defend against a hypersonic missile attack.” Beyond that, the letter is short on details. The IG had listed “hypersonics” as a topic in its fiscal 2024 “oversight plan,” [PDF] in a section dedicated to “Building enduring advantages for strategic competition.”..."

Reference: breakingdefense.com .

RTX's Raytheon demonstrates SM-6 integration with LTAMDS and IBCS

RTX's Raytheon demonstrates SM-6 integration with LTAMDS and IBCS

"...Raytheon, an RTX business, demonstrated a simulated complex missile engagement at Valiant Shield 24, integrating the U.S. Army's Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) and Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS) with the U.S. Navy's Standard Missile-6 (SM-6). The test successfully proved the feasibility of SM-6 as an additional effector within the Army IAMD architecture. The experiment used a..."

Reference: www.stocktitan.net .

Trump pushes for much-larger ‘Iron Dome’ missile defense system in US: ‘Why don’t we have it?’

Trump pushes for much-larger ‘Iron Dome’ missile defense system in US: ‘Why don’t we have it?’

"...Former President Donald Trump pledged Saturday to protect the United States with a much-larger version of Israel’s “Iron Dome” missile-defense system if he wins a second term in the White House.

“In my next term, we will build a great Iron Dome over our country — a dome like has never been seen before..."

Reference: nypost.com .

Patriot’s Battlefield Success Spotlights Missile Supply Crunch

Patriot’s Battlefield Success Spotlights Missile Supply Crunch

"...From Ukraine to the Middle East, the Patriot air defense system is having a moment: a reliable American weapon downing enemy threats. But that’s also driving demand for missiles that the US defense industry is struggling to meet.

The Patriot sits at the center of Ukraine’s demand for more..."

Reference: www.msn.com .

Biden Administration’s prioritization of air and missile defense for Ukraine, neglecting support for U.S. and Taiwanese forces

Biden Administration’s prioritization of air and missile defense for Ukraine, neglecting support for U.S. and Taiwanese forces

"...Let us be clear: China, not Russia, poses the greatest threat to American security. This should not be controversial […] If China successfully invades Taiwan, Beijing will be primed to dismantle America’s alliance network in East Asia and eventually dominate the region. And time is short to deter China.” Read the full letter here ..."

Biden Administration’s prioritization of air and missile defense for Ukraine, neglecting support for U.S. and Taiwanese forces

Reference: senate.gov .

NATO leaders seek to bolster Ukraine as gloom grows

NATO leaders seek to bolster Ukraine as gloom grows

"...Zelensky in Washington thanked Ukraine's backers for the promise of new air defenses -- and urged the United States and others to go further to help defeat Russia. ... Putin has repeatedly accused the West of antagonizing Russia by entertaining NATO membership for Ukraine, whose separate identity he has rejected. Ukraine has also been clamoring for greater air defenses to protect cities being barraged by Russia. Biden promised Monday an additional Patriot system, on top of two new ..."

Reference: www.spacewar.com .

Ukraine opens DC weapons office and Europe bolsters defense spending as November US election looms

Ukraine opens DC weapons office

"Ukraine, a partner that relies on military aid from the NATO members, is opening a small office in Washington to strengthen its ties to the U.S. defense industry. ...NATO summit in Washington, where leaders were focused on the need both to support Ukraine...Biden on Tuesday announced another major air defense package for Ukraine, and outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced that the alliance had signed the Stinger contract. ...rapid push over the past two years exposed that defense firms both in the U.S. and in Europe were not set to produce at the levels needed in a major conventional war. "

Reference: apnews.com .

Missile Defense Agency Mission | Defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends from missile attacks

Missile Defense Agency Mission

"...The Missile Defense Agency's (MDA) mission is to develop and deploy a layered Missile Defense System to defend the United States, its deployed forces, allies, and friends from missile attacks in all phases of flight. ..."

Reference: www.mda.mil .

How Many Missile Interceptors Are Deployed in the Southern United States? Looks Like Zero

Current U.S. Missile Defense Programs at a Glance

"...As of April 2018, the Pentagon deploys 44 ground-based interceptors (GBIs)–40 at Fort Greely, Alaska, and four at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. ...As of April 2018, the Pentagon deploys 44 ground-based interceptors (GBIs)–40 at Fort Greely, Alaska, and four at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. Twenty of the 40 interceptors deployed in Alaska are armed with an older CE-1 kill vehicle that has not had a successful flight intercept test since 2008. In 2017, the Trump administration announced its plan to deploy twenty more GBIs to be installed in a fourth missile field in Ft. Greely beginning in the FY 2021 timeframe. According to the Missile Defense Review, all 64 interceptors would be ready by 2023. These interceptors will be armed with the new, under-development Redesigned Kill Vehicle (RKV), which is intended to enhance the performance of the current EKV. But the RKV has been plagued by reliability and design problems, which led to the Pentagon stopping work on the program in May 2019 and, after a short review, terminating the program in August. The new timeline for expanding the GMD system to 64 interceptors is uncertain."

Reference: www.armscontrol.org .

Boeing managers were aware of a leak in the Starliner spacecraft prior to its launch, yet proceeded with the mission.

NASA and Boeing knew about Starliner leak before launch

"The repeated issues with Starliner threaten its future and further damage Boeing’s reputation in the aerospace industry. ...reports indicate that NASA and Boeing managers were aware of a leak in the Starliner spacecraft prior to its launch, yet proceeded with the mission. This decision has..."

Reference: www.businesstoday.in .

Protecting Boeing Defense Contracts | Boeing in Talks to Preserve US Government Contracts Business

Boeing in Talks to Preserve US Government Contracts Business

"...Boeing Co. is discussing a potential path forward with the US Defense Department to preserve its government contract business after the company agreed to plead guilty to a criminal charge tied to two fatal crashes of its 737 Max jet, according to a person familiar with the discussions. A Pentagon spokesperson separately said on Monday that the department will assess the plea agreement and related matters to “make a determination as to what steps are necessary and appropriate to protect the federal government.” ..."

Reference: www.bloomberg.com .

Biden Chooses Ukraine Over U.S. Hostages in Gaza and Protection of Our Ally Israel | U.S. Missile Defense Ukriane Missile Defense

Biden opens NATO summit by announcing new air defenses for Ukraine

"... During his speech on Tuesday, Biden vowed that “the United States will make sure that when we export critical air defense interceptors, Ukraine goes to the front of the line.”

“They will get this assistance before anyone else gets it,” Biden added. ..."

Reference: www.cnn.com .