12/07/2013 Actu Terre

Depuis le 6 juillet 2013, un détachement d’artilleurs sol-air du 68e régiment d’artillerie d’Afrique (68e RAA) a rejoint le dispositif de sureté aérienne (DSA) à Paris pour le 14 Juillet.

Au côté de l’armée de l’Air, nos soldats assurent la protection du ciel parisien jusqu’au jour de la fête nationale avec 3 pièces Mistral déployées. Leurs missions : surveillance et détection.

Les premiers jours sent consacrés à la mise en place du dispositif interarmées, notamment de la chaîne de transmission des informations.

Les artilleurs sol-air connaissent parfaitement la mission, récurrente et axée sur leur cœur de métier. Leur véritable atout dans le DSA : une caméra thermique, utilisable de jour comme de nuit, pour assurer une meilleure visibilité de l’espace aérien.

July 11, 2013 Source: IHS

LONDON --- Analysis reveals a newly identified surface-to-surface missile base deep in the Saudi desert, capable of targeting Israel and Iran, according to IHS Inc. (IHS), the leading global source of information and analytics.

As fears of a nuclear-armed Iran continue to stoke tensions in the Middle East, there are questions over whether Saudi Arabia might also purchase nuclear weapons. IHS Jane's Intelligence Review has looked in detail at the Saudi missile programme and assessed Riyadh’s delivery capabilities.

Using satellite imagery, IHS Jane’s Intelligence Review identified an undisclosed surface-to-surface missile facility in Saudi Arabia. With a different layout to the previously documented Al Sulayyil and Al Jufayr missile bases, this new third site potentially serves as a training and storage complex with the ability to perform operational missile launches.

There are two launch pads at the facility, one appearing to be aligned on a bearing of approximately 301 degrees and suggesting a potential Israeli target, and the other oriented along a bearing of approximately 10 degrees, ostensibly situated to target Iranian locations. IHS Jane’s Intelligence Review assesses that the site likely has a limited operational capacity within a defined target set, and could serve as an off-site storage point for additional missile airframes and propellant stocks.

"While the lorry-launched missiles can theoretically be fired from any location, the idea of having pre-planned directional markers is to ensure that they can be deployed in accurate fashion as quickly as possible. There is a marked out spot for the launch truck to park in, which will facilitate an expedited launch," said Allison Puccioni, Image Analyst, IHS Jane’s Intelligence Review.

Robert Munks, Deputy Editor, IHS Jane’s Intelligence Review, comments: “The identification of a third missile complex in Saudi Arabia comes as IHS Jane’s Intelligence Review assesses that Saudi Arabia is likely to begin re-arming its missile stock with more modern and accurate Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles. There has also been recurrent speculation that Saudi Arabia would seek to procure nuclear weapons “off-the-shelf” should Iran develop them, as suggested by former Saudi intelligence chief Prince Turki al-Faisal in 2011. For such short notice, the foundations for both nuclear-capable launch vehicles and for acquiring the warheads will need to have been laid in advance.”

"Our assessment suggests that this base is either partly or fully operational, with the launch pads pointing in the directions of Israel and Iran respectively. We cannot be certain that the missiles are pointed specifically at Tel Aviv and Tehran themselves, but if they were to be launched, you would expect them to be targeting major cities. We do not want to make too many inferences about the Saudi strategy, but clearly Saudi Arabia does not enjoy good relations with either Iran or Israel,” adds Robert Munks, deputy editor of IHS Jane's Intelligence Review.

Saudi Arabia’s reported attempts to acquire more modern delivery systems do not appear to have been fruitful. This means that Riyadh would have to rely on its ageing fleet of Chinese Dong Feng-3 (DF-3) surface-to-surface missiles. Purchased in 1985, the DF-3 has a range of between 2,650 and 4,000 km dependent on the warhead weight, and is nuclear-capable.

IHS is the leading source of information, insight and analytics in critical areas that shape today's business landscape. Headquartered in Englewood, Colorado, USA, IHS is committed to sustainable, profitable growth and employs 6,700 people in 31 countries around the world.

July 12, 2013: Strategy Page

The U.S. Navy has asked missile manufacturers to quickly design and build them a target drone that will simulate sub-sonic Chinese anti-ship missiles. Previously the U.S. Navy had spent a lot of effort developing and building similar drones to simulate super-sonic anti-ship missiles. Apparently someone did the math and realized that the most likely near-term opponents (China, North Korea or Iran) all had a lot of Chinese sub-sonic missiles.  China sells a lot of these C-801 and C-802 anti-ship missiles. The C-801 is 5.81 meters (18 feet) long, 360mm in diameter, has a max range of 42 kilometers and weighs 636 kg (1,400 pounds) each. The C-801 is similar to the French Exocet, and is believed to have been based on that missile. An improved C0801 is the C802A which is a 6.8m (21 foot) long, 360mm diameter, 682kg (1,500 pound) missile, with a 165kg (360 pound) warhead. The C802 has a max range of 120 kilometers, and moves along at about 250 meters a second.

The French Exocet missile is the same size and performance of the Chinese missiles, but costs twice as much (over a million dollars each, but the manufacturer is known to be flexible on pricing.) The new Exocet MM Block 3 has greater range (180 kilometers) because of their turbojet engine. Exocet is a 670 kg (1,500 pound) missile that has been around for over three decades, has been proven in combat and is known to be reliable. The C802 is known to be less capable than the Exocet, but it looks similar and the Chinese continue to improve their Exocet clones.

The U.S. Navy asked for someone to build a sub-sonic reusable target drone that has a top speed of about 900 kilometers an hour, comes in about a meter above the water, can maneuver (pull 8 Gs) and have a max range of 700 kilometers. The target drone must float, last about for about 20 flights and cost less than $200,000. This missile would carry electronics to enable it to be maneuvered by a remote operator and monitor jamming efforts and all sorts of flight information.

The navy hopes to repeat an earlier success Three years ago, after nearly a decade of development effort, the U.S. Navy put its high-speed anti-ship missile simulator into service. This was the GQM-163A Coyote SSST (Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target), which  is a 31 foot long, 800 kg (1700 pound) missile with a combination solid fuel rocket and ramjet propulsion. It has a range of 110 kilometers and, because of the ramjet, a top speed of over 2,600 kilometers an hour. The Coyote is meant to give U.S. warships a realistic simulation of an attack by similar Russian cruise missiles (like the Klub.) At least 39 GQM-163As are to be built, at a cost of $515,000 each. The GQM-163A is the first U.S. missile to successfully use ramjet engines, and this technology can be now used in other missiles.

Coyote came to be in response to more countries arming themselves with high speed anti-ship missiles. In particular, there is fear that the Russian 3M54 (also known as the SS-N-27, Sizzler or Klub) anti-ship missiles used on Chinese subs, are unstoppable. But maybe not. India, (another major customer for the Klub) has feuded with the Russians over repeated failures of the Klub during six test firings three years ago. The missiles were fired off the Russian coast, using an Indian Kilo class submarines, INS Sindhuvijay. That boat went to Russia in 2006 for upgrades. India refused to pay for the upgrades, or take back the sub, until Russia fixed the problems with the missiles (which it eventually did).

Weighing two tons, and fired from a 533mm (21 inch) torpedo tube on a Kilo class sub, the 3M54 has a 200 kg (440 pound) warhead. The anti-ship version has a range of 300 kilometers, but speeds up to 3,000 kilometers an hour during its last minute or so of flight. There is also an air launched and ship launched version. A land attack version does away with the high speed final approach feature, and has an 880 pound warhead. What makes the 3M54 particularly dangerous is its final approach, which begins when the missile is about 15 kilometers from its target. Up to that point, the missile travels at an altitude of about a hundred feet. This makes the missile more difficult to detect. The high speed approach means that it covers that last fifteen kilometers in less than twenty seconds. This makes it difficult for current anti-missile weapons to take it down.

The 3M54 is similar to earlier, Cold War era Russian anti-ship missiles, like the 3M80 ("Sunburn"), which has a larger warhead (300 kg/660 pounds) and shorter range (120 kilometers.) The 3M80 was still in development at the end of the Cold War, and was finally put into service about a decade ago. Even older is the P700 ("Shipwreck"), with a 550 kilometers range and 750 kg (1,650 pound) warhead. This missile entered service in the 1980s.

These missiles are considered "carrier killers," but it's not known how many of them would have to hit a carrier to knock it out of action, much less sink it. Moreover, Russian missiles have little combat experience, and a reputation for erratic performance. Quality control was never a Soviet strength, but the Russians are getting better, at least in the civilian sector. The military manufacturers appear to have been slower to adapt.

It is feared that the navy has no defense against missile like Klub. Or, it may have developed defenses, but does not want to let potential enemies know how those defenses work (lest the enemy develop ways to get around those defenses.)

12/07/2013 par Gaëtan Barralon – 45eNord.ca

À l’issue d’une réunion diplomatique non prévue, à Washington, les autorités américaines et chinoises se sont entendus, jeudi soir, pour exiger de Pyongyang des mesures qui mettent fin à son programme d’armement nucléaire.

Un «consensus fort». Telle est la tendance qui resort de deux jours de «dialogue économique et stratégique» entre Pékin et Washington. Lors de cette rencontre annuelle entre les deux pays, le président américain Barack Obama a rencontré deux principaux responsables de la délégation chinoise.

Le secrétaire d’État américain adjoint, William Burns, a assuré qu’«il y a un consensus fort entre nous sur [...] l’importance que les États-Unis et la Chine ont à travailler ensemble pour s’assurer que [Pyongyang] soit à la hauteur de ses obligations et traduise son discours et ses engagements antérieurs dans la réalité».

S’exprimant devant des journalistes, William Burns a rappelé que les deux pays voulaient «une dénucléarisation vérifiable» et «des avancées significatives de la part de la Corée du Nord pour montrer son sérieux».

Principal allié de Pyongyang, Pékin souhaite remettre en place des pourparlers à six (Chine, les deux Corées, Japon, Russie et États-Unis) pour résoudre ce conflit diplomatique. La Chine «restera engagée dans la dénucléarisation de la péninsule coréenne, dans la paix et de la stabilité de la péninsule», a déclaré le représentant chinois Yang Jiechi.

Une vaste parade militaire pour les 60 ans de la fin de la guerre de Corée

Mais en attendant une avancée significative, Pyongyang se prépare à célébrer les 60 ans de la fin de la guerre de Corée.

S’appuyant sur une source militaire, l’agence de presse sud-coréenne Yonhap a assuré, ce vendredi, que plus de 10 000 soldats nord-coréens répétaient pour cette parade à l’aéroport Mirim, à proximité de la capitale. Des missiles de courte et moyenne portée auraient également été installés sur des lanceurs.

De quoi alerter les autorités sud-coréennes, qui surveillent actuellement tous ces préparatifs prévus pour le 27 juillet prochain. Si un armistice a mis fin à la guerre de Corée, en 1953, aucun traité de paix n’a été signé entre les deux pays, restant techniquement en guerre.

Pour autant, les deux pays tentent d’apaiser les tensions récentes, notamment à propos du complexe industriel de Kaesong. Alors qu’un accord de principe a été trouvé pour la réouverture prochaine du site intercoréen, les discussions se poursuivent quant aux modalités nécessaires pour relancer ce symbole de coopération entre les deux Corées.

Pyongyang recule sur les négociations concernant les familles séparées

Après un nouvel échec, mercredi, les deux parties se sont mises d’accord pour se retrouver dès lundi afin de reprendre leurs pourparlers. En revanche, Pyongyang vient de retirer son offre de négociations, concernant des familles séparées depuis six décennies.

Séoul avait donné son accord de principe à la réouverture de ce processus qui concerne des centaines de milliers de personnes séparées de leurs familles depuis la guerre de 1950-1953, mais a souhaité que ces discussions aient lieu à Panmunjom, au cœur de la zone démilitarisée entre les deux pays.

«Dans un message transmis [jeudi], la Corée du Nord a annoncé qu’elle retirait sa proposition» pour mieux se concentrer sur le cas de Kaesong, a déclaré un porte-parole du ministère sud-coréen de l’Unification. Preuve de la fragilité toujours aussi importante d’une péninsule coréenne des plus instables.

11 July 2013 airforce-technology.com/

Iran has upgraded its S-200 long-range air defence missile system in an effort to improve its operational capability, Khatam ol-Anbia Air Defense Base commander brigadier general Farzad Esmayeeli has announced.

Esmayeeli was quoted by Fars News Agency as saying that a mobile launcher had been developed for the system, in addition to a sharp reduction in its detection-firing-tracing time.

''We have given mobility to the S-200 missile system, and the same plan to give mobility to all artillery and missile systems is on the agenda of the Air Defense Force," he said.

Working both online and in real-time, the upgraded system can also be employed for pinpoint targeting missions, and has successfully proved its capabilities in different tests.

"In the missile part of the system, we should say that S-200 is not only used against strategic and collective targets, but it can now be used for pinpoint targeting and can be guided to a very specific point," Esmayeeli added.

The optimised S-200 system is expected to be unveiled during the forthcoming military exercise, code-named Modafe'an-e Aseman-e Velayat 5, which is scheduled to be held in the next six months.

Designed by Almaz/Antei Concern of Air Defence in the 1960s, S-200 Angara is a long-range, medium-to-high altitude surface-to-air missile (SAM) system used to protect large areas from bomber attacks or other strategic aircraft between a 200km-350km range, depending on the variant used.

Also known as SA-5 Gammon, the single-stage missile features four jettisonable, wraparound solid propellant boosters, and utilises a radio illumination mid-course correction to move towards the target with a terminal semi-active radar homing phase.

Each battalion comprises six single-rail missile launchers and fire control radar, and can also be linked to other longer-range radar systems.

11/07/2013 by Victoria Knowles - Armed Forces International Reporter

China's military has the "most active and diverse ballistic missile program," in the world, with a growing nuclear warhead-inventory that can reach the United States, a Pentagon intelligence report has found.

Included in the weaponry is a new JL-2 ballistic missile that can be launched from submarines - specifically allowing Chinese subs to target areas of the US from operations positioned near the Chinese coast, according to the latest assessment from the National Air and Space Intelligence Centre (NASIC).

The missile programs in the east-Asian country are swelling as the Pentagon endeavors to make a policy that places more focus on America's forces in the Asia-Pacific region. According to the assessment, some of China's arsenal is designed to stop enemy forces from accessing regional conflicts.

The latest report, known as Ballistic and Cruise Missile Threat Assessment, is an update from the previous report, which was carried out in 2009. The update has found China to be "developing and testing offensive missiles, forming additional missile units, qualitatively upgrading missile systems and developing methods to counter ballistic missile defences."

China is a Major Threat According to Pentagon Report

Even with a fairly small collection of nuclear warheads and intercontinental ballistic missiles, the country can already target the US. Over the coming 15 years, these weapons could expand to more than 100.

The conclusions regarding China are just one part of a report that examines global developments in trends and ballistic-missile technology, including in Pakistan, India, Iran and North Korea.

For Iran the report concurs with the intelligence community's assessment that the Middle-Eastern country could develop and test an intercontinental ballistic missile that is capable of reaching the United States by 2015 - within two years.

According to the report, Iran has ambitious space-launch and ballistic development programs and aims to increase the accuracy, lethality and range of it's missile force.

North Korea meanwhile, possesses a large short-range missile inventory and is working on an intermediate-range weapon, the report found.

Situated at Ohio's Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the NASIC is the Pentagon's leading aerospace intelligence provider.

11 Jul 2013 By Simon Johnson, Scottish Political Editor, Faslane - telegraph.co.uk

The British Government denies reports it is examining plans to designate Faslane as sovereign UK territory in case Scots back independence next year.

David Cameron today strongly denied reports the Government is considering a plan to ensure that Britain’s nuclear deterrent would remain in Scotland after independence despite SNP promises to remove it.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) was said to be considering designating the Faslane base that houses Trident nuclear submarines as sovereign UK territory, giving it the same legal status as British bases in foreign countries like Cyprus.

Alex Salmond would be presented with a choice of accepting this status, it was claimed, or a separate Scotland having to pay a substantial part of the multi-billion pound bill for removing Trident.

A deal over Faslane would ensure the Trident fleet would have access to the open seas via the Firth of Clyde and the continuation of Britain’s round-the-clock deterrent. At least one nuclear-armed submarine is on patrol at sea at any one time.

The Scottish Nationalists seized on the reports as evidence of the UK attempting to strong-arm Scotland into keeping nuclear weapons and said they would not agree to such an arrangement.

But Downing Street and the MoD attempted to head off a public backlash in Scotland by insisting they did not recognise the proposal, which was outlined in the Guardian, describing it as not “credible”.

They said they were not drawing up contingency plans for Trident in case Scots back independence next year despite expert warnings that there may be nowhere else suitable in the UK for the deterrent.

Mr Salmond has repeatedly insisted that nuclear weapons would be removed from the Clyde if Scots back independence, promising that a ban would be included in a written constitution.

He has claimed Faslane could be turned into a conventional naval base. But experts have warned it would cost many billions of pounds and take decades for Trident to be removed from the Clyde despite the SNP claiming it could be done very quickly.

Nicola Sturgeon, Mr Salmond’s deputy, told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme: "This seems to me to be an outrageous attempt at bullying by the UK Government.

"I can't see how they could do that without the agreement of the Scottish Government and speaking for my party that is not an agreement that would be forthcoming."

She said it was a "preposterous threat from the UK Government" and said that Coalition ministers should instead start talks now on how to remove Trident as quickly as possible in the event of a ‘yes’ vote next year.

But a Number 10 spokesman said: “This Government has not commissioned contingency plans over Faslane. No such ideas have come to the Secretary of State or the Prime Minister.

“They would not support them if they did. It’s not a credible or sensible idea.”

An MoD spokesman said: "No contingency plans are being made to move Trident out of Scotland. The scale and cost of any potential relocation away from Faslane would be enormous."

According to the Guardian report, MoD civil servants are starting to examine a two-stage process whereby the British Government would initially emphasise the huge expense and logistical difficulties of moving Trident.

These costs would be factored into the ‘divorce settlement’ between Scotland and the UK, reducing the sum to which the former is entitled.

However, it is claimed they are examining an alternative whereby Scotland would get a much better deal in return for allowing Faslane to become sovereign UK territory, along the lines of the Akrotiri and Dhekelia naval bases in Cyprus.

A defence source was quoted as stating: “The sovereign base area is an option. It is an interesting idea because the costs of moving out of Faslane are eye-wateringly high.”

Sir Menzies Campbell, the former Liberal Democrat leader, warned of a backlash. He said: “To seek to impose a financial penalty on an independent Scotland in relation to the decommissioning of Faslane might be seen as undue pressure and could easily play into the hands of the SNP.”

However, he pointed out that a separate Scotland might have to agree to keep Trident anyway under Mr Salmond’s plans to apply for Nato membership.

10.07.2013 par Frédéric Lert (FOB)

En 2011, la DGA attribue un contrat de levée de risques à MBDA afin de valider les principaux choix techniques du futur MMP. A commencer par l’autodirecteur du missile (fourni par le français Sagem, comme tout le reste de l’optronique du poste de tir) qui sera bimode, avec une caméra TV pour le mode « jour » et un capteur infrarouge non refroidi. Sur les capteurs infrarouges « classiques », une bonbonne de gaz doit être percutée avant le tir pour refroidir l’autodirecteur et lui donner ses performances. Problème, une fois la bonbonne percutée, le missile doit être tiré rapidement et s’il ne  l’est pas, il doit repasser en atelier pour recevoir une nouvelle cartouche de gaz.

Le MMP disposera également de deux modes de guidage : le mode « tire et oublie » (le missile est totalement autonome dès qu’il quitte le poste de tir), se doublera d’une capacité d’intervention du tireur en cours de vol. Cette possibilité de garder « l’homme dans la boucle » est jugée essentielle par l’armée de Terre. Le Milan, qui est entré dans la légende avec plus de 300.000 missiles construits, était filoguidé. MBDA dispose donc d’une très large expérience dans le domaine et a fait le choix d’une liaison de données par fibre optique, qui présente deux avantages : résistance élevée au brouillage et haut débit de transmission des données dans le sens tireur-missile pour le guidage et le contrôle du missile et missile-tireur pour faire « remonter » des images pendant le vol. Même en mode « tire et oublie », le tireur peut ainsi garder un œil sur la trajectoire du missile, avec la capacité de reprendre là main à tout instant pour affiner la trajectoire ou déplacer le point d’impact. Si en revanche le tireur est certain de ne pas avoir à intervenir, il peut commander la coupure du fil du guidage et recharger le poste de tir pendant que le premier missile est encore en vol. Outre son expérience du filoguidage avec le Milan, MBDA a également celle de la fibre optique avec le missile expérimental Pholyphème qui déroulait son fil sur plusieurs dizaines de kilomètres.

Ce mode de guidage évolué est un atout maitre que le missilier européen oppose volontiers aux capacités du Javelin qui ne dispose, dans sa forme actuelle, que d’une fonction « tire et oublie » Aucun doute toutefois que Raytheon s’adaptera au besoin français au travers d’une version modernisée de son missile dotée d’un double mode de guidage.

« Un système de guidage terminal de précision (Precision Terminal Guidance)  avec homme dans la boucle avait été proposé à l’US Army dans le cadre d’une modernisation du Javelin, en utilisant un guidage optique sans fil, comme ce qui se fait aujourd’hui sur le missile TOW » explique d’ailleurs un porte-parole de Raytheon. « Mais l’US Army a décidé de ne pas le retenir pour réduire la facture. Il ne faut pas oublier que faire intervenir un soldat dans le guidage du missile impose d’entrainer ce même soldat en lui faisant tirer régulièrement des missiles. Cela a un coût ! Avec un guidage « tire et oublie », un simple simulateur est suffisant pour l’entrainement. Maintenant, si l’armée française souhaite disposer des deux modes de guidage, nous pouvons répondre à sa demande. Le guidage optique a déjà été testé sur le Javelin et fonctionne ».

Raytheon précise donc que la fonction guidage « homme dans la boucle » existe déjà sur étagère et que son intégration pourrait être confiée à une entreprise française si le Javelin venait à être choisi. A l’opposé du choix technique de MBDA, le missilier américain affiche une certaine défiance vis à vis du guidage par fibre optique lorsque le missile est tiré depuis un véhicule et renouvelle sa confiance dans le guidage optique. « La voie IR du poste de tir permet de s’affranchir des mauvaises conditions météorologiques ou de la poussière pour le guidage optique » précise notre interlocteur.  Mais le client étant roi, l’industriel américain précise également rester ouvert à toutes les options…

July 10, 2013: Strategy Page

Israel is making preparations to deploy a sixth Iron Dome anti-rocket battery this month, with two more coming within the next eight months. Iron Dome is the principal defense against short range rockets fired from Gaza or Lebanon. Iron Dome has a range of 70 kilometers against rockets, as well as artillery and mortar shells up to 155mm. Work is underway to increase Iron Dome range to over 200 kilometers. Meanwhile, Iron Dome remains a controversial mix of battlefield success and controversy.

For example, the Israeli military has had to keep repeating public reminders that the Iron Dome anti-rocket system was not meant for defending towns and villages but military bases and critical infrastructure (power and water). This reminder comes after Iron Dome successfully defeated a Hamas attack (using 1,500 rockets) last November. Many Israelis assumed this meant they could expect similar protection if there were a larger attack from Hamas or Hezbollah. But the military points out that Hamas has over 5,000 rockets and Hezbollah over 40,000. If one or both of these groups fired several thousand rockets, including longer range (over 20 kilometers) ones  the Iron Dome batteries would have to be used to defend military bases and power plants first (otherwise defense of the nation would be imperiled) before trying to cover civilian targets. With a smaller attack the existing number of Iron Dome batteries is sufficient to defend everything, which is what happened last year. But until it is possible to buy more Iron Dome batteries, a major attack will leave many civilian targets vulnerable. With eight batteries available next year, there will still be a need to concentrate on protecting key targets if there is a major attack. The military believes it would need twenty batteries to cover everything but it is unclear if the government can come up with the money for that. The U.S. is supplying some of the cash for this, but not enough for another dozen batteries.

The military has been pointing this out for over three years. The first mention was in response to announced plans to keep the new Iron Dome batteries in storage. At that time politicians were making much of using Iron Dome as a means of defending civilians living close to the border and vulnerable to rockets fired from Gaza in the south and Lebanon in the north. But it turned out that it takes about 15 seconds for Iron Dome to detect, identify, and fire its missiles. Most of the civilian targets frequently under fire from Gaza are so close to the border (within 13 kilometers) that the rockets are fired and land in less than 15 seconds. When longer range rockets are fired there are many more targets (civilian and military) to aim at and Iron Dome is much more effective. This is what happened last November, when Hamas fired many of its longer range rockets at larger towns and cities deeper in Israel.

This explains why, after Iron Dome was declared ready for action three years ago, it was surprisingly (to most Israelis) placed in storage. The air force said they would prefer to save money and put the Iron Dome batteries in storage, to be deployed only for regular tests and training or, of course, for an actual emergency (an expected large scale attack on southern or northern Israel). Politicians demanded that at least one battery be deployed along the Gaza border. Eventually all the batteries were deployed to defend a constantly shifting array of targets. Moving the Iron Dome batteries a lot is good training and confuses the enemy. Meanwhile the military sees Hamas and Hezbollah stockpiling larger numbers of longer range rockets that would enable massive use of long-range rockets against military bases (most of them more than 20 kilometers from the Gaza or Lebanese borders). The generals believe it's more important to protect the military forces, who ultimately defend Israel, and that's what Iron Dome will now be used for, at least when there is threat of a major rocket attack.

Since 2010 Israel has bought eight batteries of Iron Dome anti-rocket missiles. Five are in action and were responsible for defeating the Hamas attack last November, which used a lot of long range rockets. Each battery has radar and control equipment and three missile launchers. Each battery costs about $50 million, which includes 50-100 Tamir missiles (costing $50,000 each). Iron Dome uses two radars to quickly calculate the trajectory of the incoming rocket and do nothing if the rocket trajectory indicates it is going to land in an uninhabited area. But if the computers predict a rocket coming down in an inhabited area, Tamir guided missiles are fired to intercept the rocket. So far Iron Dome has been able to intercept 85 percent of missiles it identified as heading for an inhabited area. The latest version of Iron Dome has a longer range as well as more effective fire control.

This approach makes the system cost-effective. That's because Hezbollah fired 4,000 rockets in 2006, and Palestinian terrorists in Gaza have fired over six thousand rockets in the past eight years, and the Israelis know where each of them landed. Over 90 percent of these rockets landed in uninhabited areas, and few of those that did hit inhabited areas caused casualties. Israel already has a radar system in place that gives some warning of approaching rockets. Iron Dome uses that system, in addition to another, more specialized, radar.

The Palestinians are believed to have tried to defeat Iron Dome by firing a lot of long range missiles simultaneously at a few cities. In theory this could overwhelm one or two Iron Dome batteries. But Israel is able to keep 24/7 UAV watch on Gaza and spot attempts at large scale simultaneous launchers. This enables Israel to bomb many of the launch sites. This results in many rockets destroyed on the ground or launching erratically and landing within Gaza or nowhere near where they were aimed. Because Iron Dome can track hundreds of incoming missiles, quickly plot their trajectory and likely landing spot, and ignore the majority that will not land near people, the Palestinians tried putting hundreds of larger (long range) missiles into the air at the same time to be sure of causing lots of Israeli casualties. So far the Palestinians have not been unable to get enough rockets into the air at the same time to make this work. They may never get this to work, because they have to hide preparations for the simultaneous launch of many rockets and this is very difficult to do undetected.

The Palestinian rocket attacks have been around since 2001, but got much worse once Israel pulled out of Gaza in August of 2005. This was a peace gesture that backfired. From 2001 to 2005, about 700 rockets were fired from Gaza into Israel. Since the 2005 withdrawal, over 5,000 more rockets were fired into Israel. The rate of firings increased after Hamas took control of Gaza in June, 2007. In 2011 700 rockets and mortar shells were fired, this jumped to 2,300 in 2012 when Hamas briefly went to war with Israel. The retaliation was so effective that Hamas agreed to a ceasefire. Thus during the first half of 2013 only about 40 rockets and mortar shells landed in Israel.

Hamas has been bringing in more factory made Iranian and Chinese made BM-21 and BM-12 rockets. Hamas revealed, last November that they had brought into Gaza factory-made BM-21 rockets, each with a range of 20-40 kilometers. They also have lots more shorter range (six kilometers) Russian designed B-12 107mm rockets. The 122mm BM-21s weigh 68.2 kg (150 pounds) and are 2.9 meters (nine feet) long. These have 20.5 kg (45 pound) warheads but not much better accuracy than the 107mm model. However, these larger rockets have a maximum range of 20 kilometers and a flight time of under 15 seconds. Again, because they are unguided, they are only effective if fired in salvos or at large targets (like cities, large military bases, or industrial complexes).

There are Egyptian and Chinese BM-21 variants that have smaller warheads and larger rocket motors, giving them a range of about 40 kilometers and flight time over 15 seconds. Israel found that there are now dozens of even larger Iranian Fajr rockets, with a range of 70 kilometers, plus several hundred extended-range (40 kilometers) 122mm rockets, and even more standard range (20 kilometers) 122mm rockets in Gaza. Before last November there were thought to be over 10,000 rockets stored in Gaza. But between Iron Dome and attacks on storage sites by artillery and smart bombs, over half of those rockets were destroyed.

Jul 10, 2013 (SPX)

Herndon VA - Northrop Grumman recently supported the successful test of the Minuteman III Propulsion System Rocket Engine (PSRE) at NASA's White Sands Testing Facility in Las Cruces, N.M.

The PSRE is the liquid post-boost upper stage of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). This was a designated product quality assurance (PQA) test, which is a full mission duty ground static test conducted in NASA's altitude test cell.

The PQA test is performed to verify the quality of the PSRE after it is refurbished by the PSRE life-extension program (LEP).

This test represents the last of seven PQA static tests for the PSRE LEP program.

"The entire ICBM team, including our Aerojet and Boeing teammates and the Air Force, celebrate the success of this program as it comes to an end with this final accomplishment," said Tony Spehar, Northrop Grumman vice president and program manager for the ICBM Prime Integration Contract.

"These PSRE tests have ensured the reliability of the nation's deployed Minuteman fleet."

The PSRE LEP program, initiated in 2000, is managed under a joint partnership between Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force.

The program is responsible for refurbishing the entire Minuteman III fleet of PSREs and extending its service life through 2030. Upon completion of the program last month, 558 PSREs will have been delivered to the Air Force.

09.07.2013 Helen Chachaty - journal-aviation.com

Le département américain de la Défense a révélé qu’un essai d’interception de missile balistique mené entre autres par la Missile Defence Agency avait échoué le 5 juillet dernier, pour une raison encore inconnue. Le but de la manœuvre était d’intercepter à partir de la base de Vandenberg, en Californie, un missile balistique de longue portée lancé par l’US Army d’une base des Îles Marshall dans le Pacifique. Une enquête a été lancée pour déterminer les causes de cet échec.

Selon le Los Angeles Times, l’essai aurait coûté 214 millions de dollars et le dernier succès serait daté de 2008. Les essais d’interception auraient été stoppés au début de l’année 2011, suite à deux échecs répétés en 2010 avec deux nouveaux intercepteurs. Le Los Angeles Times précise que le système de défense sol-air est fabriqué par Boeing et que le « kill vehicle » provient de Raytheon.

08/07/2013 by Paul Fiddian - Armed Forces International's Lead Reporter

French defence officials have carried out the MdCN (Missile de Croisière Naval - Naval Cruise Missile) weapon's first simulated ship-borne launch, with successful results.

While this was a land-based trial, the missile was launched from infrastructure designed to replicate a French Navy frigate at sea. According to MdCN's developer, MBDA, it was a rigorous trial as, beyond the launch phase, the missile's navigation and infrared target recognition capabilities were also put to the test.

Once in French Navy service, the MdCN will be part of the armament carried by its FREMM (multi-mission frigate) vessels and Barracuda submarines.

The joint French/Italian FREMM design is an anti-submarine, anti-ship and anti-aircraft frigate now being supplied to each nation's navy. The Barracuda submarine is still in development. It is expected that six will be built, joining the French Navy between 2017 and 2027.

Sea-Launched Naval Cruise Missile

The MBDA sea-launched Naval Cruise Missile has an extensive range and is designed to strike targets well inside national boundaries. Based on the air-launched SCALP missile, the Naval Cruise Missile is compatible with a range of different ship types and MBDA has been working on this technology since 2006.

The SCALP (or Storm Shadow, in other air arms' service) has more than a decade's operational use behind it. It has a 250 mile range and a maximum speed of Mach 0.8, while it weighs 1,400 kilograms and is around 6.5 metres in length.

According to MBDA: 'Carried on combat vessels positioned for lengthy periods at a safe distance in international waters, either overtly (on frigates) or discretely (on submarines), MdCN is designed to carry out missions calling for the destruction of high value strategic targets'.

The new weapon is due to enter service next year but won't be twinned-up with the Barracudas until 2017, according to current scheduling.