Written by / Compiled by KMI Media Group staff
MSMF 2009 Volume: 2 Issue: 5 (October)
Israel’s Iron Dome short-range defensive system—a lower layer of that nation’s multi-layered missile defense network—is designed to intercept rockets from four kilometers (2.5 miles) away to about 100 kilometers.
“The system’s initial operational capability will be next summer [2010],” Joseph (Yossi) Horowitz, business development and marketing director, Air and Missiles Defense Systems, Rafael, told MSMF.
The evolving attributes of the Iron Dome interceptor make it conducive for land and naval-marine scenarios, noted Horowitz. “It is a unique interceptor, developed to defeat rockets in ‘the first degree’—during flight, in all weather, at very high speed, at very high maneuverability and low price.”
Iron Dome has been successfully tested against 122 mm Grad rockets. “We intend to conduct full system trials in the next several months [last quarter 2009],” Horowitz remarked.
Amit Zimmer:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Hints at Role for Czech Republic and Poland in New Missile Strategy
The Obama administration’s new missile defense strategy for Europe omits the Bush administration’s plans to emplace 10 ground-based interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic.
During a recent discussion about the new administration plan with House Armed Services Committee members, Ellen O. Tauscher, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, noted, “We have offered the Poles a future piece of the SM-3 [Standard Missile-3] deployment,” and “we’re working on a number of different things” for the Czechs. Lieutenant General Patrick J. O’Reilly, director, Missile Defense Agency, who also appeared at the session, said another possibility was putting command and control facilities in the Czech Republic.
These possible engagement strategies would build upon existing cooperation between the U.S. and the two nations in missile defense. In November 2008, MDA announced the completion of a second cooperative research and development project between the U.S. and Czech Republic that studied Czech technical capabilities that could have applications to missile defense. U.S.-based Sparta and DR Technologies are companies that awarded subcontracts to Czech entities to support this research.
In May, the U.S. State Department announced the deployment of a U.S. Patriot battery with 100 Army personnel to Poland by year’s end. The DoD and State Department declined to discuss the status of this deployment.
Anti-ship Missile Collaborative Plan Announced
The French and U.K. governments have started the joint assessment phase to develop systems and technologies for a new helicopter-launched anti-surface missile. The weapon will be launched from different helicopters, including the British Lynx Wildcat and the French NH90 and Panther.
The cooperative project meets the U.K.’s Future Anti-surface Guided Weapon and French Anti-Navire Leger requirements.
The project’s assessment phase is expected to last over two years and will be shared by both nations. Program work will be undertaken in the U.K. and France, using industries within the nation’s supply chains.
The joint assessment phase has started using the Team Complex Weapons enabling contract placed with MBDA (U.K.) in 2008.
Source: U.K. Ministry of Defence
Initial Military Communication Satellites for German Bundeswehr
Astrium launched into orbit the first of two military communications satellites for the German Bundeswehr.
As part of the military satellite communications program SATCOMBw Stage 2, the Bundeswehr is acquiring its own military communications satellites for the first time and laying the foundations for a secure information network for use by units on deployed missions outside Germany.
“The network will support the autonomous, global transmission of audio and data as well as video and multimedia applications. The system is due to go into regular operation by the end of 2010 and will constitute an important step in implementing the Bundeswehr concept for network-centric operations. Satellite communications are the only way of ensuring information can be transmitted flexibly without having to rely on the infrastructure in the theater of operations. A second identical satellite will be launched in early 2010,” read a statement provided to MSMF.
Astrium is responsible for the space segment and will place the satellites in orbit. Thales Alenia Space has designed, manufactured, integrated, tested and delivered on-ground the satellite to Astrium. Astrium’s German subsidiary TESAT manufactured the essential parts of the payload.
Daniel Mosely: Tel.: +44 (0)1 438 77 8180
Exercise Juniper Cobra Under Way
As this issue went to press, U.S. and Israeli were conducting the largest joint exercise ever held by the two nations. During the biennial exercise, the joint forces are expected to test four ballistic missile systems. The Missile Defense Agency and U.S. European Command are sending Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense ships, and THAAD and Patriot 3 missile defense systems. Israel is expected to test the Arrow-2 in the joint environment.
Source: U.S. DoD.