Missile Defense (General thread)

[American Patriot]

Sitting ducks..... well, technically, both coasts are if some submarine launched nuclear weapon is fired.

[Phil Fiord]

True. Not a comforting thought being that we know of incursions of foreign subs very near our coasts. Dry run tests as it were.

[American Patriot]

Wet run?

lol

I can't imagine we'd have time to respond if someone launched a nuke from 5 miles offshore.

It would take them enough time to ID the bogey before shooting it down, that it would hit the top of it's run, split and fall down.

[Phil Fiord]

I meant as a test to see how close they could get before being detected as you are very correct. If it is launched very close, we could not take it down.

[American Patriot]

http://www.mda.mil/news/14news0002.html

March 8, 2014

United States and Israel Sign Agreement on Iron Dome Weapon System

The United States and the State of Israel concluded an agreement on March 5 to continue support of the production of the Iron Dome weapon system.

The Iron Dome system is capable of intercepting and destroying short-range rockets, and mortar and artillery shells, and is an invaluable component of Israeli missile defense. During Operation Pillar of Defense in 2012, Iron Dome was credited with saving countless Israeli lives, and was called a "game-changer" by many Israeli policy-makers. Yesterday's agreement ensures continued U.S. funding for procurement of Iron Dome systems and interceptors, and provides for significant co-production opportunities for U.S. industry. Under the terms of the agreement, $429 million will be transferred immediately to Israel to support Iron Dome procurement.

The agreement represents strategic value for both nations. Israel will obtain valuable resources to contribute to its defense and U.S. industry will receive meaningful co-production opportunities for Iron Dome components.



Missile Defense Agency / Public Affairs
5700 18th Street, Bldg 245
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-5573
mda.info@mda.mil

[Phil Fiord]

Finally, A good bit of news about defense.

[American Patriot]

huh? lol

America’s Nuclear Arsenal Still Runs Off of 8-inch Floppy Discs

Image | Posted on May 1, 2014 by tomfernandez28

People from all over the political spectrum are up in arms this week, following a 60 Minutes report on the state of the US nuclear arsenal. Particularly, the segment exposes the old and seemingly outdated technology that controls and underlies these most powerful of weapons. The phones are old, chunky physical types. The switch-boards have those big mechanical switches and flashy lights. And the paramount sin: Many of the records are kept on 8 inch floppy disks.


It’s an odd thing, to see the plans and security information for the most destructive technology in history in a form most people associate with Reader Rabbit and The Oregon Trail. Still, is this really so bad? Certainly, the first two are hardly downsides; the sturdy, physical connections of the past are much more reliable in the sorts of doomsday scenarios that might see a nuclear weapon launch. Much like the interior of a submarine, these facilities should strive to be as low-tech as possible, without sacrificing safety or performance.


As to the floppies, they seem to be performing fairly well. Though Ben Richmond at Motherboard notes the degradation of information as a reason to upgrade, those complaints mostly extend to micro-fiches and films. The magnetic storage of a floppy disk is really quite long-lasting comparatively — though it is fragile and in need of proper handling.


The distinct upside of this sort of technology is that it makes compatibility harder for the enemy. It’s harder to forge a format that’s been out of date for 20 years, and hard to hack something that was installed before the internet left the military’s research labs. The job has not changed dramatically since these systems were first put in place:
wait for a call, validate the call, target the missile, launch. Technologies on the front end of the nuclear process, in target acquisition and tracking, and on the back end, in propulsion and destructive power, have progressed immensely in the past 30 years. In some cases, though, keys, padlocks, and rotary phones are more than enough.


The entire 60 Minutes segment is available for streaming, below.


Now, of course upgrades will become necessary at some point, and frankly they really should upgrade that storage standard. However, simply maintaining the existing nuclear arsenal costs hundreds of billions per year. An across-the-board upgrade would be hard to justify at a time when nuclear fees are drawing eyes from the austerity crowd, and even usually pro-spending citizens rejoice at being able to put the costs of the Iraq War behind them. There are again forces calling for partial unilateral nuclear disarmament, if only because we no longer live in an era defined by the reach of nuclear bombs.


In the event of a nuclear catastrophe, it’s the satellites and smart-phones that will fail us. The rotary phones will be working just fine.

http://tomfernandez28.com/2014/05/01...-floppy-discs/

[Malsua]

At least the 8 inch disks were somewhat reliable, mostly because the encoding is very magnetically stable and strong and because the data density is low.

3.5" floppy disks must be around 75% data loss after 1 year. Utter garbage.

[American Patriot]

Either way... I didn't see the show. So I dunno. I posted it because I saw it blogged.

[American Patriot]

Air Force Wants to Boost Global Strike Command's Clout

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May 29, 2014

By Rachel Oswald
Global Security Newswire


Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson, the head of Global Strike Command, testifies before the Senate in March. Air Force brass have recommended that Wilson's position be elevated from a three-star to a four-star billet, partly in response to recent ethics scandals in the command's nuclear missile sector. (U.S. Air Force photo)
The U.S. Air Force wants to raise the clout of its strike command as part of its response to a series of ethics lapses in the nuclear sector.
The civilian and military leaders of the service have recommended to U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel that the position of head of Global Strike Command be upgraded to a four-star billet from its current three-star rank, according to a Wednesday Air Force news story. The proposal is to be further developed in the coming months and would require congressional authorization.
Global Strike Command manages the Air Force's fleet of nuclear-capable bombers and its arsenal of roughly 450 Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missiles. The current head of the command is Lt. Gen. Stephen Wilson.
"This important mission in the Air Force deserves the highest level of leadership oversight similar to our other operational core mission areas," Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said in provided comments.
The service also wants to elevate the position of assistant chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration from a two-star to a three-star position. Maj. Gen. Garrett Harencak presently occupies that post.
The envisioned billet upgrades are the latest in a series of steps the Air Force has announced to address what are seen as cultural deficiencies that may have led many nuclear-missile officers at a Montana base to cheat -- or turn a blind eye to cheating -- last year on a routine certification test. The service is also investigating allegations of drug possession by a few Global Strike Command officials.
The ethics scandals touched off a number of internal reviews into the Air Force's nuclear weapons mission. Service brass said they uncovered deep-seated cultural problems among ICBM launch-control officers that they said stemmed, in part, from onerous testing demands and perceptions that the job was a career "backwater."
"This is our most critically important mission and these personnel actions show that," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said in a released statement. "And we are not just increasing the rank within the organization, we are also increasing the overall manpower by more than 1,100 personnel to address shortfalls and offer our airmen a more stable work schedule and better quality of life."
Other newly announced personnel changes include adding more mid-level officers to each of Global Strike Command's Minuteman ICBM squadrons and offering bonuses to certain specialists.
The service press release did not provide any estimates on how much it would cost to implement the proposed changes in billets and personnel numbers. "These initiatives will take time. But we're putting our money where our mouthis and aligning resources to go after those initiatives," Wilson was quoted as saying.
James said the Air Force had already redirected $50 million in current fiscal-year funds "to address urgent, near-term nuclear sustainment shortfalls." An additional $350 million from the service's future years defense program also will be redirected to the effort, she said.
U.S. Representative Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), whose state hosts a Minuteman 3 missile wing, applauded the planned changes.
"These recommendations ... demonstrate the importance of the ICBM force as part of our nation's nuclear deterrence and the overall defense strategy," Kramer said in a Wednesday statement. "Increasing the level of leadership and introducing retention incentives for high-caliber airmen will enhance accountability and morale. The Air Force has my support and I will do my part to make sure their recommendations are implemented."

[American Patriot]

14-NEWS-0005
June 22, 2014
Target Missile Intercepted Over the Pacific Ocean During Missile Defense Exercise

The Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Air Force 30th Space Wing, the Joint Functional Component Command, Integrated Missile Defense, U.S. Northern Command and the U.S. Navy completed an integrated exercise of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) element of the nation’s Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). During the test today, a long-range ground-based interceptor launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, intercepted an intermediate-range ballistic missile target launched from the U.S. Army’s Reagan Test Site on Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
The test, designated Flight Test Ground-Based Interceptor-06b (FTG-06b), will provide the data necessary to assess the performance of numerous BMDS elements for homeland defense.
Navy Vice Adm. James D. Syring, Missile Defense Agency director, said, “I am very proud of the government and industry team conducting the test today. Their professionalism and dedication made this test a success.”
He added, “This is a very important step in our continuing efforts to improve and increase the reliability of our homeland ballistic missile defense system. We’ll continue efforts to ensure our deployed Ground-based Interceptors and our overall homeland defensive architecture continue to provide the warfighter an effective and dependable system to defend the country.”
For this exercise, a threat-representative, intermediate-range ballistic missile target was launched from the Reagan Test Site. The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70), with its Aegis Weapon System, detected and tracked the target using its onboard AN/SPY-1 radar, which provided data to the GMD fire control system via the Command, Control, Battle Management and Communication (C2BMC) system. The Sea-Based X-Band radar also tracked the target, and relayed information to the GMD fire control system to assist in the target engagement and collect test data.
About six minutes after target launch, the Ground-Based Interceptor was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base. A three-stage booster rocket system propelled the interceptor’s Capability Enhancement II EKV into the target missile’s projected trajectory in space. The kill vehicle maneuvered to the target, performed discrimination, and intercepted the threat warhead with “hit to kill” technology, using only the force of the direct collision between the interceptor and the target to destroy the target warhead. This was the first intercept using the second- generation Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle.
An operational crew of U.S. Army soldiers from the 100th Missile Defense Brigade, located at Schriever Air Force Base, Colorado, remotely launched the interceptor.
Initial indications are that all components performed as designed. Program officials will spend the next several months conducting an extensive assessment and evaluation of system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test.
The test was the 65th successful hit-to-kill intercept of 81 attempts since 2001 for the Ballistic Missile Defense System. The GMD element of the system has completed four intercepts using the operationally configured interceptor since 2006. Operational Ground-Based Interceptors are currently deployed at Fort Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, protecting the nation, our friends, and allies against a limited long-range ballistic missile attack.
Additional information about all elements of the Ballistic Missile Defense System can be found here.



DoD News Release: http://www.defense.gov/Releases/Rele...eleaseID=16788

[American Patriot]

To the Men and Women of the Missile Defense Agency:

I am very pleased to report that today we successfully conducted FTG-06b using the second generation, or Capability Enhancement-II (CE-II), Exo-atmospheric Kill Vehicle to destroy a long-range Launch Vehicle-2 target. I could not be more proud of your accomplishment.

The importance of this Ground-based Midcourse Defense test to our homeland defenses cannot be overstated. Since this was a test of an operational system, our success today goes a long way toward shoring up the confidence of our leadership and the warfighter in the capability of the current GMD system to defeat a ballistic missile attack from North Korea and Iran.


We experienced two very tough intercept flight test failures in 2010 involving the CE-II EKV. A production quality issue caused the first EKV failure (FTG-06) in January 2010. The second failed intercept test (FTG-06a) occurred in December 2010. The problem in that test was caused by vibrations from the kill vehicle thrusters. The Agency worked hard to mitigate it, and we conducted a very successful non-intercept controlled flight test of the CE-II GBI (GM CTV-01) in January 2013. This fly-out put the EKV through a series of stressful maneuvers and gave us the confidence we needed to proceed with the FTG-06b test.

FTG-06b is one of several critical steps we need to take to improve and strengthen the GMD system. We will continue to enhance the GMD element of the Ballistic Missile Defense System, to include increasing regular testing and the upgrade and redesign of the current EKV. We are also taking steps to implement Secretary of Defense Hagel’s March 15, 2013 guidance to increase the operational fleet of GBIs from 30 to 44 and refurbish and reactivate Missile Field #1 at Fort Greely, AK.

Several elements of the BMDS participated in this test, demonstrating critical system integration. An Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense ship, the USS Hopper, located east of the test site acquired the target and sent track data to the Command, Control, Battle Management, and Communications system. C2BMC forwarded Aegis BMD track data to GMD Fire Control. The Sea-Based X-band Radar also participated in this test, providing tracking data on the target complex to the GFC.

With the eyes of the Nation’s leaders, the warfighter, the American public, and our allies on you and this Agency, your hard work and diligence are a source of pride here within the Agency and the Defense Department. Congratulations to all of you who were responsible for making this critically important flight test mission a success. The U.S. Army Soldiers from the 100th Missile Defense Brigade at Schriever AFB who so expertly operated the system could not have done it without your commitment to excellence and your professional and dedicated support. Thank you for a job well done.


I am honored every day to serve with you. Keep up the great work for our Nation!


VADM Jim Syring

[Ryan Ruck]

Public Meeting Scheduled On Aug. 5 On Proposed Anti-Missile System In Portage County, Ohio

August 1, 2014

The U.S. Department of Defense is holding a public meeting on Tuesday about the possibility of locating an interceptor missile system in Portage County.

The meeting will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. at Ravenna High School, 6589 N. Chestnut St. The session will be hosted by the federal Missile Defense Agency and the Ohio Army National Guard.

Activists unhappy with the missile plan intend to speak out against the proposal during the meeting.

The missiles would be located at Camp Ravenna Joint Military Training Center, the former Ravenna Arsenal that covers 21,000 acres off state Route 5 in eastern Portage County.

The missiles would be used to protect the United States from a missile attack. The existing Ground-based Midcourse Defense system provides homeland defense from a limited long-range ballistic missile attack. Those missiles are based in Alaska and California.

Camp Ravenna is one of four sites under study for housing additional interceptor missiles. The other locations are at military installations in Maine, New York and Michigan. The four sites were first announced last September.

The selected site would have a yet-untold number of underground silos armed with missiles that can be launched in the event of a foreign attack. The missiles are designed to target, track and intercept enemy projectiles above the Earth’s atmosphere, well before reaching U.S. soil.

The interceptor missiles are about 54 feet long, about 4 feet in diameter and weigh about 25 tons a piece. Each costs about $50 million. The missiles are stored and launched from the steel-and-concrete silos.

The missiles do not contain any explosives.

The U.S. Department of Defense has not made a decision to deploy or construct what’s called a Continental United States Interceptor Site.

The Ravenna meeting is what’s called a public scoping meeting to review the scope of the detailed Environmental Impact Statement. Public input is important to ensure major environmental issues, other areas of concern and alternatives are considered early in the EIS process, the organizers said.

The meeting will be in an open-house format with attendees speaking with and asking questions of the Missile Defense Agency and Camp Ravenna officials.

The public can submit written comments through Sept. 15. Comments can be mailed to Black & Veatch Special Projects Corps, Attention: MDA CIS EIS, 6601 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS 66211-1504. The fax number is 913-458-1091. The email address is MDA.CIS.EIS@bv.com.

The website is www.mda.mil/about/enviro_cis.html.

Not that big of a deal I don't think. We used to have Nike missile sites here in Ohio during the Cold War.

[American Patriot]

It's a littlier deal than Nike. Nike was nuke tipped. Interceptors aren't. They are kinetic.

The missiles do not contain any explosives.

[Malsua]

Ha! I know right where that is. In fact, I've spoken about the Ravenna Arsenal before, here or on Anomalies. Here I think.

The Arsenal is about 15 miles from where I grew up.

[American Patriot]

November 6, 2014

Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System Completes Successful Intercept Flight Test

The Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Pacific Command, and U.S. Navy Sailors aboard the USS John Paul Jones (DDG 53) successfully conducted a flight test today of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system, resulting in three successful near-simultaneous target engagements over the Pacific Ocean by the Aegis Baseline (BL) 9.C1 (BMD 5.0 Capability Upgrade) Weapon System configured ship. One short-range ballistic missile target was intercepted by a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block IB guided missile, while two low-flying cruise missile targets were engaged by Standard Missile-2 (SM-2) Block IIIA guided missiles near-simultaneously.

At approximately 12:03 p.m. (Hawaii Standard Time, 5:03 p.m. Eastern Standard Time) one short-range ballistic missile target and two cruise missile targets were launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on Kauai, Hawaii. Following the target launches, the USS John Paul Jones, in Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Radar Priority Mode, detected and tracked the missiles with its onboard AN/SPY-1 radar.

The ship, equipped with the Aegis BMD weapon system, developed a fire control solution and launched one SM-3 Block IB guided missile to engage the ballistic missile target. The SM-3 missile maneuvered to a point in space and released its kinetic warhead. The kinetic warhead acquired the target’s reentry vehicle, diverted into its path, and destroyed the target with the sheer energy and force of direct impact. The ship also launched two SM-2 Block IIIA guided missiles to successfully engage the cruise missile targets.

Program officials will evaluate system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test.

This test, designated Flight Test Standard Missile-25 (FTM-25), was the first live-fire event of the Aegis Weapon System in IAMD Radar Priority Mode, engaging a ballistic missile target and a raid of cruise missile targets.

Other test participants included discriminating sensors flown on two MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles and sensor systems ashore, Command and Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) Enterprise Sensors Lab, C2BMC Experimentation Lab, and the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Test Complex located at PMRF.

FTM-25 marks the 29th successful intercept in 35 flight test attempts for the Aegis BMD program since flight testing began in 2002. Across all Ballistic Missile Defense System programs, this is the 66th successful hit-to-kill intercept in 82 flight test attempts since 2001.

The MDA will use test results to improve and enhance the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) and support the advancement of Phase 2 of the Phased Adaptive Approach for missile defense in Europe to provide protection of U.S. deployed forces and our European allies and partners.

Aegis BMD is the naval component of the BMDS. The MDA and the U.S. Navy cooperatively manage the Aegis BMD program. Additional information about all elements of the BMDS can be found here.

[vector7]

US missile defense system cannot intercept Russian strategic missiles — deputy PM

World

January 26, 11:50 UTC+3

“Neither the current nor even prospective American missile defense system can stop or challenge Russian strategic missile potential,” Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said.


Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin

© Nikolai Galkin/TASS



© ITAR-TASS/Dmitry Rogulin Elements of new missile defense system tested in Russia

MOSCOW, January 26. /TASS/. The American missile defense system is unable to counter Russia’s strategic missiles, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Monday.

“Neither the current nor even prospective American missile defense system can stop or challenge Russian strategic missile potential,” Rogozin said in a program on the Rossiya 1 TV channel.

However, the deputy prime minister declined to specify any technical characteristics of Russia’s strategic missiles.



The US missile defense system and NATO European Missile Defense System The US has announced plans to reject the deployment of the fourth stage of the missile defense system in Europe and to refocus towards protection against potential North Korea missile attacks. Infographics by TASS.

[MinutemanCO]

I think it's interesting that the PM would know this - particularly the prospective defense system.

[American Patriot]

I am certain the PM hasn't a frickin' clue what we can intercept and what we can't lol

[Ryan Ruck]

Depends on Obama's "flexibility" I suppose...