Long-Term Implications of the Department of Defense’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget Submission

Statement of Matthew S. Goldberg, Acting Assistant Director of the Congressional Bugdet Office, before the Committee on the Budget U.S. House of Representatives can be accessed online on http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/106xx/doc10633/10-14-DoD_2010_HBC_Testimony.pdf

You can find interesting remarks regarding a plan to cancel the second ABL aircraft and a plan to cancel Ground-Based Midcourse Defense “Thir Site” in Poland and the Czech Republic on pages 12 – 14.

Change means new winners and losers

The President’s decision to alter missile defense plans for Europe has sent shockwaves through the defense industry. To be sure, there are those companies that benefit from this decision and those that loose. The main loser is Boeing. After all, Boeing was the principal contractor for the Ground-Based Midcourse system of which the European site was a significant part. Another big loser was Orbital Sciences Corporation which was slated to provide the 10 interceptors for the European site.

But other defense contractors could prove to be big winners, especially Lockheed Martin and Raytheon which produced ship-based or mobile system.  Raytheon makes the Aegis sea-based missile interceptors and Lockheed makes their control system.

Secretary Gates on Iranian Intel Estimates

President Obama on European Missile Defense

Senator Begich speech transcript

A couple of weeks ago Alaskan Senator Mark Begich spoke at the Heritage Foundation about Alaska’s vital role in missile defense and national security. While we already posted our notes from the event, the transcript has just come available so we thought it would be instructive to post.  The first couple paragraphs are the opening remarks of Heritage Foundation President Edwin J. Feulner and the rest is Senator Begich.  Unfortunately it doesn’t include the questions that were asked.

Read the entire transcript here.

MDA Video from 7th Annual Missile Defense Conference

Check out this video from the 7th Annual Missile Defense Conference. It features an overview of current missile defense systems and some nice behind-the-scenes footage. The video also includes an interview with MDA Director Lt. General Patrick O’Reilly.

Click here for the complete text of the interview with Lt. General O’Reilly.

Translation Time

When reading about missile defense one finds a seemingly unending amount of acronyms. Wheter they describe systems, policies, military procedures or foreign countries it can seem that you are reading a foreign language. To help with the translation I’ve decided to post two missile defense glossaries. The first is from the Missile Defense Agency and the second is the one we use here at the MDAA. Enjoy and good luck with the translation!

Missile Defense Agency Glossary

Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance Glossary

2010 Defense Authorization bill passes Senate subcommittee

The Missile Defense Agency is expected to receive $7.7 Billion in 2010 Appropriations after a unanimous vote by the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. The $7.7 Billion represents an almost 15% cut in MDA’s budget over the previous year.

In annoucing the vote Senate Republican Defense Appropriations Defense Subcommittee member Richard Shelby from Alabama said, “The funding approved by the subcommittee will support important defense-related programs that strengthen our national security” and that “these programs are critical to the stability of our nation’s military infrastructure and readiness, and the subcommittee’s approval demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the safety of our citizens and the strength of our military.” He added in his comments that, “The need for a robust national missile defense has never been more apparent than it is today” and the “threats from rogue nations that seek to do America and her allies harm must be countered. This funding will help ensure the safety and security of our country.”

While the overall budget is down, several programs  including the sea-based Aegis missile defense system and the Theater High Altitude Area Defense are set to receive funding increases.

Check back later for a more detailed breakdown of the final bill.

Father of Aegis missile defense dies

Retired Rear Admiral Wayne Meyer

Often called the father of the Navy’s Aegis missile defense system, Retired Rear Admiral Wayne Meyer has died. He was 83.

Rear Admiral Wayne Meyer joined the Navy during World War II at age 17 and retired over 42 years later in 1985. Early in his career he began working with guided missiles and this ultimately led to his work on the Aegis missile defense system. He held a number of different roles in the Aegis and other missile defense programs. In 1974 he became the first Director of Surface Warfare, Naval Sea Systems Command and when he retired he was the Deputy Commander, Weapons and Combat Systems, Naval Sea Systems Command.

The Aegis missile defense system he helped create is the naval component of our nations missile defense shield. There are currently 54 Aegis destroyers and 22 Aegis cruisers in the US Navy. The first Aegis ship launched in 1983 was the USS Ticonderoga.

In October of this year the USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108) an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile defense destroyer will be commissioned in Philadelphia in honor of Rear Admiral Wayne Meyer. 

Satelite shoot down video

Here is the video of the Navy’s shoot down of the aging satellite inFebruary of 2008.  It’s talked about whenever people discuss missile defense testing so I thought I would post a link to the actual video.

And here are some links to articles about it

CNN Article

Navy Press Release

Fox News Article

Popular Mechanics Article