MDA Ground Test Demonstrates Phased Adaptive Approach

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) successfully completed a ground test involving several distributed Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) elements. Data collected during the test, conducted September 12-16, demonstrated BMDS Phase 1 capabilities of the Phased Adaptive Approach to defend European allies and deployed forces from ballistic missile threats by simultaneously executing multiple theater engagements.

Georgia Ready to Hosts Elements of European Missile Defense

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has announced that his country would welcome deployment of X-band radar, an element of regional missile defense system designed to protect Central Asia and the Middle East from Iran, in its territory.

Amid Tensions, U.S. and Turkey Move Forward on Missile Defense

The United States and Turkey signed an agreement to station U.S. missile defense radar in Turkey, just as Ankara’s relations with the West seem to be deteriorating.

U.S. Use of Radar Data Risks a Turkish Backlash

WASHINGTON—The U.S. said it can use data collected from a high-powered missile-defense radar in Turkey to help defend Israel or other non-European allies, which risks sparking a public backlash in Turkey.

Tobyhanna Strong On Radar Support

In the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, a large, white radome dominates the high ground at Tobyhanna Army Depot symbolizing the growing number of radars and sensors that depot personnel maintain for the military.

Luis Velez, left, and John Radzikowski set up a Lightweight Counter Mortar Radar system for rotation testing in an anechoic test chamber. Tobyhanna Army Depot employees conduct full organic repair on the entire AN/TPQ-48 LCMR system.

Radars at Tobyhanna run the gamut from Air Defense, Air Traffic Control, Ground Surveillance, Airborne, Shipborne, Range Threat systems and critical Counter Fire systems, supporting the Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Navy.

U.S. to continue talks on Gabala radar station in 2012

The U.S. is going to continue negotiations on the format of the use of the Gabala radiolocation station (information-analytical centre “Daryal) with Azerbaijan and Russia next year.

Another Half-Billion for L-3 Comm

L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. (LLL – Analyst Report) has won a U.S. Missile Defense Agency contract valued at up to $538 million for mission support of the Airborne Sensors Program.

Missile defense: Not Joint, but cooperative

At the news conference following the G8 Summit in Deauville, France, Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said that he was not entirely satisfied with the response by U.S. and NATO to the Russian proposal on anti-ballistic missile defense in Europe. Before the summit, similar messages were sent from the Russian ministries of foreign affairs and defense. Deputy Minister of Defense Anatoly Antonov was the most forthright: He said that Russia was preparing a response in case its proposal was rejected; and it seems that the time for this response has come.

U.S. Navy Conducts Integration Flight Tests of ATK’s Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile

The AARGM weapon is a medium range, supersonic, air-launched tactical missile compatible with U.S. and Allied F/A-18, EA-6B, F-16 CJ/MJU and Tornado IDS/ECR aircraft.

ATK’s (NYSE: ATK) Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) recently completed an initial flight integration test on the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft in May and has completed multiple flight hours of integration testing on FA-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. This series of successful captive-carry tests is part of the process to validate the compatibility of AARGM with these platforms and to pave the way for all U.S. Navy strike aircraft to leverage AARGM’s defense suppression capability. With continued successful flight performance, AARGM is expected to complete the Navy’s Operational Test Readiness Review and transition into initial operational test and evaluation later this year.

Pentagon Mulls Hurdles To Early Missile Intercept

By Amy Butler

Nearly two years ago, Defense Secretary Robert Gates unveiled a new incremental strategy to protect much of Europe and the Eastern U.S. from an Iranian ballistic missile attack. The so-called Phased Adaptive Approach (PAA) was designed with increments, each deploying new technologies in 2011, 2015 and 2018, and—eventually—the final phase would provide coverage from intercontinental ballistic missile threats from Iran in 2020.