Focus on Force Protection

Military and Industry Partners Seek Joint
Solutions to Combat Cruise Missile Threats.

by Kenya McCullum
MSMF Correspondent

The very nature of a cruise missile (CM) makes it an attractive weapon for a variety of adversaries—from well-financed and disciplined militias to regular forces. These vehicles are the equivalent of an unmanned attack aircraft with an airframe, propulsion system, guidance system and payload, each component varying in complexity and lethality depending on the mission. These capabilities and the flexibility to launch a CM from sea-, air-, and landweapons platforms present many operational challenges to U.S. commanders. While the U.S. remains vulnerable to CM attack, that risk is evaluated as low, and the majority of U.S. DoD’s CM defense efforts and other resources are focused on force protection of units deployed in theater.

JOINT SOLUTIONS

When it comes to defending our servicemen and women from cruise missile threats, time is of the essence, and military agencies must come together to create solutions that can warn and defend against potential attacks in a timely manner. To that end, a number of agencies work in concert to obtain products that support joint doctrine and tactics by providing layered defense and other capabilities. The organizations also deliver necessary training that will keep military personnel one step ahead of any potential danger.

One agency that has taken the lead on fielding products is the Army’s Cruise Missile Defense Systems Project Office (CMDS) at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama. “CMDS Systems protect the force and selected geopolitical assets from aerial attack, missile attack and surveillance,” said Redstone Arsenal Spokesman Dan O’Boyle. “CMDS Systems also protect the maneuver force and other critical assets against CMs, unmanned aerial vehicles, rotary wing and fixed wing aircraft in the near term and against an expanded threat set, including rocket, artillery and mortar projectiles.”

FIVE OF THE SYSTEMS FIELDED BY CMDS

The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System (JLENS), which is manufactured by Raytheon, will provide situational awareness and wide area protection against landattack CMs for up to 30 days. The Raytheon- led industry program reflects the department’s concerted efforts to decouple service-specific sensors and networks and integrate them into a joint solution for CM defense.With its sensors and intelligence networks, the system will provide over-the-horizon detection and tracking to ensure that users are made aware of any oncoming threat quickly. JLENS is currently in development. This March, the system successfully completed Orbit preliminary design review (PDR). “The four-day Orbit PDR thoroughly reviewed all aspects of JLENS design maturity and confidence. The PDR is a key milestone in the $1.4 billion system design and demonstration [SDD] contract under which two JLENS Orbits are being delivered,” stated a Raytheon press release. The JLENS first unit equipped milestone remains in fiscal year 2011.

The Surface Launched Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile System (SLAMRAAM) is an evolving state-of-the-art air defense system capable of defeating emerging cruise missiles and other air threats. Through the use of surveillance radar and launcher-missile technologies, SLAMRAAM is envisioned to be an invaluable tool for early detection and engagement of cruise missile threats. The system, which is expected to be fielded by Raytheon in 2009, is easily transportable and will be used day or night and in any kind of adverse weather. This July, prime contractor Raytheon reported that SLAMRAAM successfully completed system field integration testing at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., demonstrating interoperability with both Patriot and Avenger weapon systems.

Fielded in 1981 by Raytheon, the STINGER RMP (Reprogrammable Microprocessor) Block I Missile has been used by the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps—as well as 18 allied countries. This man-portable missile provides ground forces with a low-altitude defense against attacks and allows them aerial observation capabilities. In addition, the STINGER has safety measures including an identification friend-or-foe device so that the user can differentiate friendly aircraft from an actual threat and passive technology that emits no signals to hide the user’s location.

Raytheon’s Sentinel, which can be used with the STINGER system, is a device that provides target data through its enhanced position reporting system. This heavy duty product can endure extreme battlefield condition such as dust, smoke, aerosols and enemy countermeasures.

Manufactured by Boeing Aerospace, the venerable Avenger is a short-range missile and gun weapon system that can be mounted on a military vehicle. This system—which is currently being used by the Army in Iraq, and by Taiwan and Egypt—defends against CMs, helicopters, and other air threats.

TRAINING

But these systems are only one line of defense against cruise missile attacks, and it is important that supporting military personnel receive extensive training to ensure they are prepared for a variety of CM defense scenarios.

“In addition to pursuing our materiel solutions, Department of Defense forces—along with our other federal, state and local partners—routinely exercise our capabilities,” said Lieutenant Colonel Christopher S. Reifel, chief, Integrated Air and Missile Defense Solutions Branch, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command. “We’ve got a series of very stressing scenarios in order to maintain proficiency and enhance our training in cooperative operations with our interagency partners.”

NORAD and USNORTHCOM together sponsor over 30 exercises—such as Ardent Sentry, Vigilant Shield and Defense of the Homeland—which are offered several times a year to prepare members of multiple agencies for a wide variety of threats, including those represented by CMs. These realistic simulations include a number of scenarios that sharpen the skills of trainees from different operational levels, and teach them how to prevent, defend and respond to CMs and other threats in the most efficient manner. ♦