A Restructured European Plan

Written by Marty Kauchak

MSMF 2009 Volume: 2 Issue: 5 (October)

The Obama administration’s plan is based on “recent intelligence reports that reassess Iran’s weapons capabilities to show short- and medium-range ballistic missiles to be developing more rapidly than projected, and intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities developing much slower than estimated,” read a DoD statement.

The U.S. will begin building the missile defense system in a phased approach. First, by 2011, it will field its current interceptors and radars in the European theater. Ships from the Navy’s fleet of Aegis warships with Standard Missile (SM)-3 would conceptually operate in continguous waters including the North and Mediterranean seas. The ships would be supported by a to-bedetermined number of U.S. Army AN/TPY-2 radars and other sensors, forward-deployed, conceivably in the Caucus region.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a September 17 Pentagon press conference, “The second phase, about 2015, will involve fielding upgraded, land-based SM-3s. Consultations have begun with allies, starting with Poland and the Czech Republic, about hosting a land-based version of the SM-3 and other components of the system. Basing some interceptors on land will provide additional coverage and save costs compared to a purely sea-based approach.”

Gates also noted that over time, “this architecture is designed to continually incorporate new and more effective technologies, as well as more interceptors, expanding the range of coverage, improving our ability to knock down multiple targets and increasing the survivability of the overall system.

STAKEHOLDERS RESPOND

The administration’s new European missile defense plan invited quick responses from some parts of Capitol Hill and elsewhere inside the Washington, D.C. beltway.

Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), chairman, House Armed Services Committee, remarked, in part, “While I look forward to reviewing the details of the president’s plan, it appears the new missile defense strategy for Europe is a comprehensive approach that will counter the most immediate missile threats from Iran and protect our allies and our troops in the region. As a practical matter, deployment of the European third site was still a long way away.”

Fellow Democrat U.S. Rep. Parker Griffith (D-Ala.) viewed the new plan less favorably. He noted, “The initial information that the White House is canceling our plans to construct interceptors in Poland and our radars in the Czech Republic is disturbing. We must remain vigilant in protecting ourselves and our international allies, and this is not a step in the right direction. Eight months of dangerous and irresponsible reductions in our missile defense systems only serve to embolden our enemies and put overseas democracies at risk.”

And across the political aisle, U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), a member of the House Missile Defense Caucus, remarked, “I am disappointed that the president is abandoning plans to deploy technology that works right now, in favor of a theoretical new version of the Aegis system, which would not be ready until 2015 at the earliest. That is a big risk to take, and sends the wrong signal to the unpredictable regimes currently in power in Iran and North Korea.”

Off Capitol Hill, Riki Ellison, chairman and founder, Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance, noted “We support the President’s ‘new missile defense architecture’ for its mobility, adaptability, integration, volume, and cost sharing with our allies for protection of U.S. deployed forces and our allies from the growing present threat of shortand medium-range ballistic missiles.

“However, from a military perspective this ‘new missile defense architecture’ cannot defend the U.S. homeland from long-range ballistic missiles; it also cannot defend the two primary missile defense and early warning radars in Fylingdales, England, and Thule, Greenland, from long-range ballistic missiles. Today, the only system that has proven results to intercept long-range ballistic missiles is the currently deployed ground-based interceptors.”

INDUSTRY IMPACT

The administration’s new missile-defense strategy delivers a mixed message for the Boeing-led team. Boeing had a key role in developing the Polish site in the Bush administration’s plan. Team member Orbital Systems, based in Dulles, Va., was scheduled to supply the 10 GBIs for the site.

As this issue was going to press, Norm Tew, vice president and program director, ground-based midcourse defense (GMD), Boeing, told MSMF that Boeing “is proud of our role as the prime contractor for the GMD system, and we will continue to support the requirements that our customer, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, and U.S. policymakers, determine for missile defense for the homeland and abroad. GMD is the only operational defense our nation has against the threat of long-range ballistic missiles.

“At this time, it is too early to tell how the administration’s announcement will impact the program. We will assess what this means for Boeing and our missile defense team as we receive direction from our customer and the FY10 budget becomes final.

“As Secretary Gates indicated, work on the two-stage ground-based interceptor will continue. We look forward to continuing our efforts on the development, application and flexibility of the two-stage interceptor as it builds on the proven technology of the GMD system to meet new and evolving threats.”

The new European missile plan is certain to be a boon for Raytheon and Lockheed Martin and will put their technologies in the spotlight.

For its part, Raytheon Missile Systems is guiding the spiral development of the SM-3 family of missiles.

“Standard Missile-3 is arguably the most mature and proven missile defense solution available today,” Frank Wyatt, vice president, Raytheon Missile Systems, told MSMF.

SM-3 Block IA is now in production and being deployed to U.S. Navy and Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force ships. “Block IA has achieved 14 successful intercepts, including the destruction last year of a failing satellite. In August, the U.S. Navy and Missile Defense Agency successfully flight tested another SM-3,” Wyatt said.

Raytheon is also developing SM-3 Block IB. It offers significant improvements including a two-color, all-reflective infrared seeker with advanced signal processing. Wyatt pointed out, “Block IB also includes a new throttleable divert and attitude control system, improving flexibility in flight control and reducing cost. The program recently completed its critical design review clearing the way for a 2010 flight test.”

Raytheon is working with the Japanese to design and produce SM-3 Block IIA. Last December, the Block IIA program completed its Joint System Design Review with the Missile Defense Agency and the Japanese Ministry of Defense. “The new interceptor will be larger—a full 21 inches in diameter—and will provide significantly greater engagement capability against a wider variety of ballistic missile threats. Flight tests for Block IIA could begin in 2012,” Wyatt confirmed.

The FY10 budget includes $50 million for Raytheon to continue development of a land-based variant of SM-3 (SM-3(L)). (See accompanying article, “SMDC Wrap-Up” in this issue.) Wyatt noted an SM-3(L) could be fielded by 2015 or earlier depending on funding. “Together with the TPY radar— also made by Raytheon—this system will provide a new land-based ballistic missile defense solution,” he concluded.

Lockheed Martin’s significant role in ballistic missile defense includes serving as prime contractor for the Aegis Weapon System and Aegis BMD Combat System engineering agent. ♦

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