Overblog
Suivre ce blog Administration + Créer mon blog
16 mars 2015 1 16 /03 /mars /2015 11:30
Photo F. Robineau, Dassault Aviation

Photo F. Robineau, Dassault Aviation

 

March 14, 2015 By Pierre Tran – Defense News

 

PARIS — The Rafale fighter jets sold to Egypt will be modified to remove nuclear missile capability and NATO standard communications, a source close to the deal said.

 

"There will be a few modifications," the source said.

 

Once adapted, the fighters will be delivered, with the first three in time for Egyptian pilots to fly the twin-engine fighter in Egyptian colors over the opening of a new waterway on the Suez Canal in August.

 

One of the Rafale upgrades to F3 standard in 2008 was the air-sol moyenne portée améliorée (ASMPA) missile tipped with the TN-200 nuclear warhead. That capability will be taken off the fighters for Egypt.

 

As Egypt is not part of NATO, the communication system will be adapted.

 

The Rafale was part of a French arms deal worth €5.2 billion (US $5.5 billion) and signed Feb. 16 in Cairo, comprising also a DCNS FREMM multimission frigate and missiles reported to be from MBDA and Sagem.

 

On the frigate, the systems will be translated into English and Arabic and the combat systems adapted to take out the naval cruise missile capability, a second source said. The warship had been built for the French Navy and due for handover as the Normandie.

 

Egypt has started paying for its order for 24 Rafales, the first export win for the fighter jet for which France has long struggled to find a foreign buyer, Dassault Aviation Chairman Eric Trappier said.

 

"The contract with Egypt is now in effect. The first check landed at the start of the week," he said at the March 11 press conference on the 2014 financial results.

 

Egypt paid a price similar to that paid by France for the fighters, he said.

 

Dassault will deliver five Rafales to France this year, and the first batch of three to Egypt, with a second three-strong batch in December or January, he said.

 

Modifying the fighters is a key factor in the timing of delivery to Egypt, the first source said.

 

The French authorities are discussing the schedule for Egypt, as there is a "substitution" effect on deliveries that had been due for the French Air Force and Navy, Trappier said.

 

Annual production will remain at 11 units, or one per month, and output could rise to a little more than 2.5 units per month, he said.

 

The company hopes for a second export deal this year, Trappier said on March 4, when President François Hollande visited the Merignac assembly line near Bordeaux, southwest France. This was the first visit by a French head of state to the aircraft factory, and Hollande welcomed the sale of the fighter to Egypt.

 

Hollande sat in a Rafale cockpit on his tour, a contrast with the widely reported political chill directed at Dassault when the Socialist party won the 2012 general election.

 

Trappier has said he expects a snowball effect, with other countries placing orders.

 

"I am sure there will be others," Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said at a March 11 press conference on his agenda for 2015, when asked about the potential sale to Qatar and Malaysia.

 

Government and industry worked together on the Egyptian order and it is the same approach with other countries, he said.

 

Then-French President Nicolas Sarkozy had set up a "war room" in the Elysées presidential office for selling the Rafale following Morocco's pick of the F-16 over the Rafale. Morocco is a former French protectorate.

 

On negotiations with India, Dassault has agreed for the first time that India's state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) will be the co-contractor, not a subcontractor, on the Rafale, Trappier said. HAL would guarantee assembly of the Rafale in India, while Dassault would be guarantor for the French work.

 

Indian authorities had previously asked Dassault to assume overall guarantee for work in India.

 

India wants a maximum of work under the "Make In India" drive.

 

The speed at which the technology is transferred to allow full Indian domestic assembly is part of the negotiations, Trappier said. The first 18 units will be built in France, with the 19th to be assembled in India.

 

French industry will continue to build the subsystems, which will be shipped for assembly in Bangalore, he said. Over time the manufacture, including the active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, will be "phased" over to Indian partners. The timetable is part of the negotiations.

 

Trappier said he was not worried about the Russian push to sell the Suhkoi Su-30 to India. "The Russians are worried about the Rafale," he said.

 

On the Indian agreement to study with Sukhoi a fifth-generation Su-35S, it is unclear what that entails as fifth-generation is a US classification, he said.

 

Dassault is patient and tenacious in its pursuit of the Indian deal for 126 fighters, Trappier said. India took some 22 years to pick the BAE Systems Hawk trainer over the Dassault Alpha jet, and that is a much simpler aircraft than the multimission fighter.

 

The first two Mirage 2000 fighters upgraded by Dassault and Thales are due to be delivered to India soon, he said. The Indian Navy expressed interest in a carrier-borne version of the Rafale.

 

Trappier declined to comment on Qatar and said talks are continuing with Malaysia. Discussions are being held with the United Arab Emirates, but these are not contract negotiations, he said.

 

Dassault has delivered 137 Rafales to France, with 43 remaining in the present fourth tranche. The company expects delivery in 2018 of the upgraded F3R version, adapted to fire the Meteor beyond-visual-range missile. Egypt will also receive that advanced version.

 

The French Navy has received two fighters upgraded to the F3 version from F1 with the remaining eight due to be modernized over two years.

 

Dassault reported net profit of €398 million, down from €487 million a year ago, on sales of €3.7 billion, down from €4.6 billion. The lower profit and sales stemmed from a weak market for the Falcon business jet. A bounce-back of Falcon orders to 90 last year from 64 signals a financial recovery for 2016.

 

New orders were worth €4.6 billion, up from €4.2 billion, with exports accounting for 89 percent. Net profit was 10.8 percent of sales.

 

Defense orders totaled €693 million, down from €1.26 billion. The 2013 figure included the F3R contract for the Rafale and upgrade for the Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft.

 

The total order book is €8.2 billion. Cash fell to €2.4 billion from €3.7 billion, as the company bought Dassault shares sold by Airbus.

 

Expected large defense export orders will likely absorb the market impact of Airbus further selling down its stake in Dassault, brokerage CM-CIC said in a research note.

Partager cet article
Repost0
14 mars 2015 6 14 /03 /mars /2015 12:20
DDG 51 Modernization Program Meets Key Milestones

 

Mar 12, 2015 ASDNews Source : US Navy

 

The Navy's DDG 51 modernization program has met two key milestones Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) announced Dec. 22.

The milestones involve the successful installation and testing of the new Aegis baseline 9 combat system on two DDG 51 destroyers, and a hull, mechanical and electrical (HM&E) modernization to a third. The modernization program ensures Arleigh Burke-class ships keep pace with evolving threats while meeting service life requirements and future operational commitments.

 

Read more

Partager cet article
Repost0
13 mars 2015 5 13 /03 /mars /2015 17:35
Beijing seeks to block deployment of US THAAD system to S Korea


13 March 2015 Pacific Sentinel
 

China is working hard to prevent the deployment in South Korea of the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense also known as THAAD, a highly effective anti-missile system to intercept North Korean and Chinese missiles, Bill Gertz, senior editor of the Washington Free Beacon, wrote on March 9.

 

China's president, Xi Jinping, is understood to have offered South Korea more trade and business opportunities in return for the Park Geun-hye administration relinquishing the idea of allowing the US to deploy the THAAD system to the Korean peninsula. In addition, Beijing is pressuring the Park administration to allow Chinese telecom equipment supplier Huawei to bid for telecom infrastructure projects in South Korea. Huawei has been blocked from securing contracts in the United States over fears that its network equipment could be used for espionage, fears the company says are unfounded.

 

Kim Min-seok, spokesperson for the South Korean defense ministry, openly declared that the nation has no plan to acquire the THAAD system from the United States during a press conference held on March 9. "Basically, the system would be good to better defend the country from missiles from North Korea, but we will make a judgment by putting the national interest as our top priority," Kim was quoted as saying by the Sputnik News based in Moscow. "We will establish an MD system of our own against North Korea's ballistic missiles by developing L-SAM and M-SAM surface-to-air missiles," Kim said.

 

Read the full story at Want China Times

Partager cet article
Repost0
13 mars 2015 5 13 /03 /mars /2015 17:20
Standard Missile-3 Block IB

Standard Missile-3 Block IB

 

Mar 11, 2015 ASDNews Source : Raytheon

 

    Updates Make SM-3 More Lethal Against Advanced Threats

 

For the first time ever, Raytheon has begun enhancing Standard Missile-3 Block IBs with 'threat upgrade' software, giving the weapon's kill vehicle the ability to hunt down more complicated, more lethal targets.

 

Though exact details are classified, the ability to make improvements through software upgrades means combatant commanders can get increased ballistic missile defense capabilities without the time and expense associated with traditional disassembly or hardware replacement.

 

"We're proving it's possible to significantly improve the SM-3 Block IB's capability without having to go through the process of breaking apart the missile and then rebuilding again," Dr. Mitch Stevison, Standard Missile-3 senior program director. "Software updates are inherently less risky and extremely cost effective."

 

The Missile Defense Agency and the U.S. Navy plan to test an SM-3 Block IB enhanced with the new software in 2015.

 

The SM-3 Block IB's software updates were performed in Raytheon's Tucson, Ariz., Space Factory. Final assembly of the SM-3 takes place at Raytheon's Redstone Missile Integration Facility in Huntsville, Ala.

 

About the Standard Missile-3

SM-3s destroy incoming ballistic missile threats in space using nothing more than sheer impact, which is equivalent to a 10-ton truck traveling at 600 mph. The next-generation SM-3 Block IB incorporates an enhanced two-color infrared seeker and the Throttleable Divert and Attitude Control System, a mechanism that propels the missile toward incoming targets.

    More than 200 SM-3s have been delivered to the U.S. and Japan to date.

    SM-3 Block IB will be deployed ashore in 2015 in Romania.

    SM-3 Block IIA, co-developed with Japan, will have larger rocket motors and a bigger, more capable kinetic warhead. It's on track for deployment at sea and ashore in 2018.

Partager cet article
Repost0
13 mars 2015 5 13 /03 /mars /2015 13:50
MBDA bat une nouvelle fois son record de commandes à l'export en 2014

MBDA a réussi à engranger environ 4 milliards d'euros de commandes, dont un peu plus de 2 milliards à l'export (Crédits : Roland Pellegrino, ministère de la Défense)

 

13/03/2015 Michel Cabirol – LaTribune.fr

 

Le missilier européen a réussi à engranger environ 4 milliards d'euros de commandes, dont un peu plus de 2 milliards à l'export, en 2014.

 

Selon des sources concordantes, le missilier européen MBDA, qui va présenter lundi ses résultats de 2014, a battu à nouveau son record de prises de commandes à l'exportation. Après avoir réussi une belle année en 2013 (4 milliards d'euros, dont 2,2 milliards à l'export), le missilier européen a réédité l'année dernière sa performance commerciale. Et ce en dépit de quelques déceptions de prises de commandes attendues en 2014.

Selon plusieurs sources concordantes, MBDA a réussi à engranger environ 4 milliards d'euros de commandes, dont un peu plus de 2 milliards à l'export, en 2014. Des commandes qui concernent essentiellement des missiles de fabrication britannique. Notamment un contrat signé avec l'Arabie Saoudite, qui va équiper ses Eurofighter de missiles air-air Meteor, dont c'est le premier contrat export. Cette commande est estimée à un plus de 1 milliard d'euros.

 

Un book to bill supérieur à 1

En tout cas, cette performance va à nouveau ravir le PDG de MBDA, Antoine Bouvier, qui avait fixé pour 2013 un objectif à ses troupes commerciales d'avoir un ratio chiffre d'affaires, prises de commandes (le fameux book to bill) supérieur à 1. Et bingo, le groupe y parvient deux années consécutives alors que le carnet de commandes déclinait inexorablement depuis 2009. Il était même passé en 2012 pour la première fois depuis la création de MBDA en 2001 sous la barre symbolique des 10 milliards d'euros (9,8 milliards). En 2009, le carnet s'élevait à 12 milliards, déjà en net retrait par rapport à 2003 (14,8 milliards).

Seule ombre au tableau, le chiffre d'affaires de MBDA devrait être à la baisse en raison des efforts consentis (réduction des livraisons négociée avec la direction générale de l'armement) par Antoine Bouvier en vue de préserver l'avenir avec le développement de nouveaux programmes : Missile terrestre de nouvelle génération (MMP), Anti Navire Léger (ANL), CAMM, un missile britannique qui répondra aux besoins futurs des marines, forces terrestres et forces aériennes en matière de défense anti-aérienne.

Partager cet article
Repost0
13 mars 2015 5 13 /03 /mars /2015 12:50
Tomahawk photo Raytheon

Tomahawk photo Raytheon

 

Varsovie, 12 mars 2015 Marine & Océans (AFP)

 

La Pologne cherche un fournisseur de missiles de croisière avancés pour ses trois sous-marins dont elle veut se doter à l'horizon 2030, a indiqué jeudi le ministre polonais de la Défense Tomasz Siemoniak.

 

Le ministre a confirmé une rumeur, selon laquelle la Pologne avait notamment interrogé les Etats-Unis sur la disponibilité de ses missiles Tomahawk.

 

"Je confirme cette information", a déclaré M. Siemoniak à la radio publique Jedynka.

 

"L'an dernier, j'ai décidé que les navires polonais devraient en être capables (de lancer des missiles de croisière, ndlr) et nous nous adressons à tous ceux qui sont en mesure de livrer une telle arme, y compris à la partie américaine", a-t-il ajouté.

 

M. Siemoniak a idiqué que la procédure pour l'acquisition de trois sous-marins pourrait être lancée dès 2015.

 

Si Washington donne son feu vert à la vente de Tomahawk à Varsovie, ces missiles feraient concurrence notamment au système français MdCN monté uniquement sur les sous-marins fabriqués par le groupe DCNS, l'objet d'une offre très probable en réponse à l'appel polonais.

 

Inquiète de l'attitude agressive de la Russie voisine, la Pologne a lancé un vaste programme de modernisation de ses forces armées: au cours des dix prochaines années, Varsovie compte y consacrer 140 milliards de zlotys (environ 34 milliards d'euros).

 

L'important contrat le plus proche concerne une commande de 70 hélicoptères multifonctions par l'armée polonaise pour remplacer de vieux appareils soviétiques, une commande estimée à 2,5 milliards d'euros. Varsovie doit bientôt choisir le lauréat, en vue d'une finalisation au second semestre.

 

La compétition oppose l'américain Sikorsky, l'italo-britannique AgustaWestland ainsi que Airbus Helicopters (ex-Eurocopter), largement implanté en France. Un autre contrat d'hélicoptères d'attaque est également au stade de l'appel d'offres.

Partager cet article
Repost0
13 mars 2015 5 13 /03 /mars /2015 12:30
Flying in a Missile-Threatened Area

 

10.03.2015 Vered Talala & Eilon Tohar – Israel Air Force

 

Aircrew members from various combat squadrons participated in a first-of-its-kind training exercise, during which they faced Surface-to-Air missile batteries launched from unknown locations

 

Combat Squadrons took part this week in a unique workshop during which they simulating sudden ambushes of Surface-to-Air missiles (SAM). The aircrew members dealt with SAM's launched from unknown locations and practiced intense combat against other squadrons standing in as the "red enemy". "One of the goals of the workshop is to create a new instructional platform for training squadrons in dangerous zones", said Major Shai from the "First Combat" squadron who led the workshop. "We created a special platform which we want to use in the future".

"This is a type of training never experienced before in the IAF", added Major Shai. "We gave the aircrew members a free reign, from flying low altitudes to ascending to 50,000 feet. The aircrew members were instructed to do whatever they think is right in order to deal with SAM's. That was never done before".

Among the participating squadrons was the "Red Dragon" squadron which simulated the enemy force for the duration of the drill. "The advantage of the high number of squadrons is the variety of platforms available, each with its own advantage", he said. "When we have F-16Is, F-15Is and F-16C/Ds it gives us different ways of dealing with the threats".

 

Uncertainties Resolved

Uncertainty is a challenge for the aircrew members from the different platforms of the IAF. "Unlike normal training, we didn't know where the SAM's are exactly", explained Major Shai. "For example yesterday, as part of the exercise, I flew in a relatively safe area and out of nowhere a missile was fired toward me. This is how you learn to deal with such situations and find solutions".

Flying in a dangerous zone also requires the aircrew members to deal with severs mental pressure. "It demands a high mental readiness", said Major Shai. "The workshop approached both aircrew members and other soldiers in the squadron. "We can safely say that our air crews are significantly more prepared for a case of warfare in the Northern region".

Partager cet article
Repost0
13 mars 2015 5 13 /03 /mars /2015 12:20
Raytheon Awarded $122 M US Navy Contract for Tomahawk Block IV Missiles

 

Mar 10, 2015 ASDNews Source : Raytheon Corporation

 

Raytheon received a contract modification for $122,443,911 to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-14-C-0075) for the procurement of 114 Tomahawk Block IV All Up Round missiles for the U.S. Navy. This completes the Navy's planned purchase of 214 Tomahawk Block IV missiles for fiscal year 2015 and continues to build the inventory to support warfighting requirements.

 

"Employed in every recent conflict, submarine and surface-launched Tomahawk missiles continue to be our nation's weapon of choice to defeat high value threats," said Dave Adams, Raytheon Tomahawk senior program director. "Raytheon continues an acute focus on maintaining affordability and enhancing the impressive capabilities of this sophisticated weapon system."

 

Read more

Partager cet article
Repost0
13 mars 2015 5 13 /03 /mars /2015 08:50
submarine Kondor is one of four Kobben-class boat

submarine Kondor is one of four Kobben-class boat

 

Mar 13, 2015 defense-aerospace.com

 (Source: Defence24.com Poland; published March 12, 2015)

 

Polish MoD: “Orka Submarine Programme Funding to Be Realized This Year”


The Polish Ministry of Defence has confirmed that funds to purchase new submarines are already reserved, but it is during the 4th quarter of this year, when the Ministry is going to start the analyses of options, that they will be used to launch the acquisition process.

Information related to the submarines was been published as a response to a parliamentary question (no. 30891) submitted by MP Artur Górski “…regarding the plans of the Ministry of Defence related to acquisition of three submarines for Poland, armed with cruise missiles”.

The ministry’s reply is highly significant in that, for the first time, the Polish Ministry of Defence has officially released information regarding the Orka future submarine project.

 

Which issues have been clarified?

Thanks to the response to the intervention, we now know that:

• Minister of Defence accepted the request submitted by the administrator of military equipment, regarding the acquisition of new submarines for the Polish Armed Forces on 27th September 2012;
• In the confidential document entitled “Plan of Technical Modernization of the Polish Armed Forces”, the Ministry of Defence’s budgetary assets are ring-fenced. These funds will be used to acquire the new submarines in 2015.
• “ORKA” programme is a long-term plan, funding of which is to be stretched out over several years until 2024;
• The Polish Ministry of Defence wants to acquire the new type of submarines armed with cruise missiles;
• Due to the plans of introduction of the cruise missiles, MoD is going to carry out additional analyses and arrangements, along with complementation of documentation, which are all going to be the basis for starting up the procedures. Analyses are to begin in the 4th quarter of this year;
• Despite the additional analyses and arrangements regarding the cruise missiles, the schedule related to procurement of the new submarines remains unchanged. “The first two submarines are planned to be acquired by 2022, the third one is to be received later”;
•„ In February this year, “offset assumptions related to acquisition of the new ORKA submarines have been developed,” the ministry said. According to these assumptions, a maintenance centre for the new type of submarines is to be created in Poland. The actions necessary will be taken to create a national potential for maintenance of technical readiness of the acquired submarines i.e. for servicing and carrying out repairs;
• The new submarines will be capable of “transporting troops that are not their crew members”;
• Training bundles, regarding preparation of the crew-members for service on-board of the submarines shall be included in the signed contracts;
• “The Polish Ministry of Defence is not planning to create a new special forces unit capable of operating with submarines. Existing special forces units, i.e. the Formoza, already possess such capabilities. Formoza’s operators are capable of carrying out special operations in water environment.”
• After the new submarines are introduced into service, the special forces will be trained in submarine operations in varied conditions, in accordance with procedures and techniques which are used by the special forces”.

What is missing in the Ministry’s response to the intervention?

• No estimated value of the order has been indicated – this would, according to the Polish MoD, reduce the room for negotiation of the Ordering Party in the planned procedure;
• No response has been made related to fusion of both procedures (acquisition of the submarines along with the cruise missiles);
• No response has been provided to the question, whether the government made any efforts to construct the submarines in the Polish shipyards, at least partially.

MoD has changed its approach towards the deterrence policy

The Ministry of Defence has changed its approach to the issue of equipping the submarines with cruise missiles, stating that “currently the basic task of the Polish Armed Forces is to defend the Polish territory. The semantic area of this term also includes military deterrence which shall be realized by demonstrating the readiness to defend the country with the existing forces. The new submarines will fall within that category and task.”

There is one more question – why it took so long for the Ministry of Defence to realize the fact that the submarines may be armed with the cruise missiles. Supposedly, a similar question was asked by MP Ludwik Dorn, leading Deputy Minister Mroczek to respond “Better late than never”.

The issue is far too serious to make fun of it – it shall be clarified why the plans of arming the submarines with the cruise missiles were sabotaged. And response to that question shall not be left in the shadows.


(EDITOR’S NOTE: Reuters reported from Warsaw this morning that Polish Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak “has asked the United States whether the European nation could buy Tomahawk missiles for its new submarines.”
Reuters quoted Siemoniak as saying on public radio that “One of the capabilities we want them to have is cruise missiles,” and he confirmed in a Tweet (see above).
France is also competing to supply submarines to Poland, in which case they would be armed with MBDA’s Missile de Croisière Naval (MdCN) cruise missiles as well as sub-surface-launched SM-39 Exocet anti-ship missiles)

Partager cet article
Repost0
13 mars 2015 5 13 /03 /mars /2015 08:35
La Corée du Nord tire sept missiles dans la mer

 

13 mars 2015 Romandie.com (AFP)

 

Séoul - La Corée du Nord a tiré jeudi sept missiles dans la mer, au large de ses côtes orientales, sur fond de tensions ravivées sur la péninsule coréenne, a annoncé vendredi le ministère sud-coréen de la Défense.

 

Le dirigeant nord-coréen, Kim Jong-Un, aurait lui-même supervisé l'opération jeudi soir à partir d'un site de lancement situé près de la ville de Sondok.

 

Ces tirs surviennent pendant les manoeuvres militaires annuelles menées par la Corée du Sud avec son allié américain et qui chaque année provoque des réactions indignées de la Corée du Nord qui les considèrent comme une répétition générale à l'invasion de son territoire.

 

Ces tirs de missiles constituent une nouvelle démonstration de force du Nord eu égard aux manoeuvres, a indiqué à l'AFP le porte-parole du ministère sud-coréen de la Défense.

 

La Corée du Sud et les Etats-Unis ont conclu vendredi une partie de leurs manoeuvres conjointes. L'exercice Key Resolve, commencé le 2 mars, a mobilisé environ 10.000 soldats sud-coréens et 8.600 américains, mais il s'agit avant tout d'une simulation par ordinateur.

 

Le général Curtis Scaparrotti, chef du Commandement des forces conjointes américano-sud-coréennes, a affirmé vendredi que ces exercices étaient cruciaux pour assurer la défense de la Corée du Sud.

 

L'autre phase des manoeuvres, baptisées Foal Eagle et commencées en même temps, est prévue pour durer huit semaines. Elle doit mobiliser des dizaines de milliers de soldats de part et d'autre.

 

La Corée du Nord avait déjà manifesté sa vive désapprobation en procédant au tir de deux missiles à courte portée au large de ses côtes orientales début mars.

 

Séoul et Washington affirment qu'il s'agit d'exercices purement défensifs, mais Pyongyang les voit comme le prélude à une invasion.

 

La Corée du Nord et la Corée du Sud se sont constituées en Etats indépendants en 1948 et la guerre de Corée (1950-1953) a consacré cette division.

 

Les deux Corées sont techniquement toujours en guerre, n'ayant pas signé de traité de paix après l'armistice de 1953.

Partager cet article
Repost0
12 mars 2015 4 12 /03 /mars /2015 08:50
Diehl and Orbital ATK Cooperate on AARGM in Germany

 

March 11th, 2015 By Diehl BGT Defence - defencetalk.com

 

Diehl Defence signed an exclusive teaming agreement with the US company Orbital ATK on marketing and manufacturing the Advanced Anti-Radar Guided Missile (AARGM) in Germany.

 

AARGM is the most advanced anti-radar missile available. It is based on tactically significant improvements to the High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM). AARGM provides the legacy HARMs with a new guidance unit featuring GPS as well as an upgraded anti-radiation homing (ARH) antenna and digital signal processor. AARGM is also equipped with a millimeter wave end game terminal seeker providing substantially improved guidance solutions in the GPS-denied environments.

 

AARGM, with the international designation AGM-88E, is currently being integrated and qualified in the Italian TORNADO weapon system. This creates favourable prerequisites for economical operation in Germany. Apart from Italy, the missile, having been in production since 2012, is currently being procured by the United States Navy and the Royal Australia Air Force.

 

In case the AAGRM is procured by the Bundeswehr, the agreement between Diehl and Orbital ATK provides for the transfer of essential workshares to Germany covering production and service during operative use.

 

Diehl already participated in the production of the HARM guided missile currently in the German Air Force´s inventory. Moreover, Diehl took part in studies and development programs aimed at improving the guidance section.

 

By cooperating with Orbital ATK, Diehl is supporting the procurement of modern equipment, available on the market, for the Bundeswehr.

Partager cet article
Repost0
11 mars 2015 3 11 /03 /mars /2015 12:50
photo A Deluc  -Sirpa Marine

photo A Deluc -Sirpa Marine

 

March 9th, 2015  By - defencetalk.com

 

DCNS has been selected – as part of a multinational industrial team led by the US Company Leidos – to participate in the system engineering and the integration of the NATO Ballistic Missile Defence.

DCNS will provide its leading-edge expertise as a naval systems prime contractor to contribute both to the definition and specification and to the integration and test of the NATO Ballistic Missile Defence architectures. The single-award firm-fixed-price contract has a four-year base period of performance, two one-year options plus one eight-month option, and a total contract value of $77 million if all options are exercised.

NATO’s goal is to integrate existing and future national weapon systems, sensors, command and control systems with the NATO Battle Management Command Control Communications and Intelligence system to provide an active defence for the protection of the alliance territory and populations, as well as deployed military forces and critical assets, against a large spectrum of ballistic missiles threats.

The multinational team will assist in this effort by defining, specifying and testing and verifying the proposed NATO Ballistic Missile Defence architectures and requirements using an integration test bed that will be upgraded and operated under the contract.

 

“DCNS is the prime contractor for the FREMM Frigates – the most technologically advanced combat ships on the market – two of which will be dedicated to Air and Missile defence for the French Navy, and for the Horizon Frigates Combat Management System maintenance. These frigates are strong candidates to contribute to the future NATO BMD architectures.” said Pierre Legros, Senior Vice President, Programmes. “This success of DCNS clearly demonstrates the company’s continued commitment towards the most powerful technological solutions supporting the most advanced defence capabilities.”

 

Leidos Team is a multinational industrial consortium composed of Leidos (USA), a national security, health and engineering solutions company, prime contractor, Aselsan (Turkey), The Boeing Company (USA), DCNS (France), Parsons (USA), QinetiQ (United Kingdom), RIMPAC (Canada), Thales (Netherlands) and TMS (Germany).

 

DCNS designs and builds submarines and surface combatants, develops associated systems and infrastructure, and offers a full range of services to naval bases and shipyards. The DCNS Group generates annual revenues of €3.1 billion and employs 13130 people (2014 data)

Partager cet article
Repost0
11 mars 2015 3 11 /03 /mars /2015 12:35
Shaheen III missile (Photo Rafay 15 Wikimedia Commons)

Shaheen III missile (Photo Rafay 15 Wikimedia Commons)

 

March 9, 2015 Defense News (AFP)

 

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan test-fired a nuclear-capable ballistic missile on Monday, the military said, less than a week after the first high-level talks with arch-rivals India for nearly a year.

 

The military said the Shaheen III surface-to-surface missile had a range of 2,750 kilometers (1,700 miles) and can carry nuclear and conventional warheads.

 

"The test launch, with its impact point in the Arabian Sea, was aimed at validating various design and technical parameters of the weapon system at maximum range," the military said in a statement.

 

India and Pakistan — which have fought three wars since independence from Britain in 1947 — have routinely carried out missile tests since both demonstrated nuclear weapons capability in 1998.

 

Pakistan's most recent missile test came last month with the launch of a low-flying, terrain-hugging cruise missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

 

Indian Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar visited Islamabad last week for talks with his Pakistani counterpart.

 

It was the first senior-level dialogue between the nuclear-armed rivals since their prime ministers met in New Delhi last May.

 

Relations between the two countries, always fraught, soured further last August amid a rise in clashes along their borders and a row over a Pakistani diplomat meeting Kashmiri separatists.

Partager cet article
Repost0
9 mars 2015 1 09 /03 /mars /2015 12:50
photo Raytheon

photo Raytheon

 

TEWKSBURY, Mass., March 9, 2015 /PRNewswire

 

Polish defense industry successfully demonstrates advanced engineering capabilities

 

Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) and TELDAT successfully completed the Critical Design Review (CDR) phase of their current contract to co-develop and co-produce advanced militarized routers for the Patriot Air and Missile Defense system. This milestone validates the capability of the TELDAT design to meet all Patriot system requirements and enables the company to transition into the manufacturing and design qualification phase of the program. 

"It is with great satisfaction that we successfully completed the first batch of military and modern routers for Next Generation Patriot, on schedule and while adhering to the highest quality technology standards. This is an important stage in our cooperation with Raytheon and proves that TELDAT is a reliable business partner and a global leader in development and production of military IT solutions," said Henryk Kruszynski, Ph.D., CEO of TELDAT Company. "The milestone allows us to start the next stages of our close partnership with Raytheon, which will surely bring more tangible benefits for both companies and further strengthen the Polish-American cooperation."

"TELDAT has demonstrated exemplary technical capabilities in support of this key initiative," said Daniel J Crowley, President, Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. "When we contracted with TELDAT, we envisioned a long-term partnership beyond just WISLA. By producing this militarized router, TELDAT will have access to an export market among established users worldwide – an opportunity unique to our global Patriot customers."

Polish industry will have major involvement in the co-development (design, engineering, software) of the Next Generation Patriot system, including co-production of a large portion of this future capability. To date, Raytheon has signed seven contract awards and 28 initial teaming agreements (LOIs), which are all focused on bringing work share to Polish industry from the WISLA program and beyond. Raytheon is already exploring partnerships beyond air and missile defense to include naval modernization, cyber, smart munitions, sensors, and other missiles (air to air, air to ground).

 

About TELDAT
TELDAT is a Polish business entity that has existed in the defense market for about 20 years. It has the broad expertise, capabilities, and comprehensive solutions, which are widely sought in Poland and abroad. The company specializes in design and manufacturing of innovative, specialized IT solutions, dedicated especially for security and national defense. Its products and provided services have been successfully used and tested in the following situations: (1) Polish troops and institutions, and on the major international peace and stabilization theaters of operation; (2) Subsequent editions of the biggest international military exercises (eg. Combined Endeavor, NATO CWID, NATO and the Bold Quest CWIX) in particular command and communications; (3) NATO, US and European research laboratories; (4) International worldwide projects and programs (e.g. the Multilateral interoperability Program  where TELDAT and its solutions are the only Polish and a few that have passed the highest tests). For more about TELDAT visit www.teldat.com.pl.

 

About Raytheon
Raytheon Company, with 2014 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees worldwide, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, security and civil markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 93 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as cyber security and a broad range of mission support services. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Mass. For more about Raytheon, at www.raytheon.com and follow us on Twitter at @Raytheon.

Partager cet article
Repost0
8 mars 2015 7 08 /03 /mars /2015 17:20
USS Sterett (DDG 104) - photo US Navy

USS Sterett (DDG 104) - photo US Navy

 

march 1, 2015 by Dr. Andrew J. Futter - missiledefensereview.org

In the past two decades, the US ballistic missile defence programme has tackled and overcome myriad technical challenges, engineering problems and political skeptics, and the notion and role of missile defence has now become normalized, accepted and essentially entrenched within US strategic and deterrence planning. Indeed, we have come a long way since the highly charged partisan debates and technological melee that characterized the 1980s and was embodied by Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). That said, the missile defence concept continues to face difficulties – most notably its impact on strategic arms control discussions – but also from the development of new cyber capabilities and particularly the growth and scale of hacking and cyber espionage. While the ability to discriminate between warheads and decoys and ensure that systems work quickly and accurately during an attack is one thing, the risk that key operational or technical secrets could have been stolen, or in a worse case scenario key systems might be in some way undermined, disrupted or disabled, is a significant problem that as yet has not been fully addressed in the debate. If a potential enemy can acquire enough information about how these systems work – let alone hack into them, “spoof” them or even cause damage – then there is a very real possibility that highly sophisticated BMD systems could be undermined or that an adversary will simply develop new ways to overwhelm them. Guarding sensitive information and highly complex BMD systems against cyber threats is therefore a fundamental challenge for those managing the US BMD programme, and arguably more important and pressing than many other “problems” that so often define the debate.

 

It may come as a surprise, but the “cyber” threat to US missile defence systems is far from a new phenomenon, in fact, the first known case of attempted cyber attack seeking to acquire sensitive secrets in this way can be traced back to the 1986 Cuckoo’s Egg episode when German hacker Markus Hess sought information on amongst other things the SDI for his KGB handlers. Hess successfully hacked into various classified US military and defence research computers and accessed a considerable amount of sensitive information.[1] Likewise, in 1989, the German hacker group “Chaos Computer Club” was also revealed as seeking to steal sensitive US defence secrets for the KGB. In the early 2000s, the Titan Rain attack, very likely sponsored by China, targeted the US Strategic Command and Sandia National Laboratories, and in 2004, another virus infected the classified intranet of the US Army Space and Missile Defense Command. A few years later the Russia-backed Buckshot Yankee attack directly targeted classified US defence networks, including those containing information on ballistic missile defence programmes, and more recently, the Chinese have been accused of hacking into US defence contractors searching for information on the PAC-3, Thaad, and Aegis programmes and on US regional missile defence plans for Asia, Europe and the Persian Gulf. What is more, between 2011 and 2012, Unit 61398 – a hacker organization funded by the Chinese PLA – are believed to have stolen large quantities of data from Israeli defence contractors regarding the Iron Dome and Arrow III missile defence programmes. Given the link between them, some of this information could have a bearing on US BMD programmes.

 

While this growing trend is clearly of concern, the implications of these attacks for the US ballistic missile defence programme are varied and nuanced – and the cyber challenge should therefore not be seen as homogenous. First of all it is unclear what types of information have been stolen – it is most likely to be insensitive data and documents (highly sensitive material is likely to be air-gapped and better protected) – but it is perfectly possible that more important and sensitive material has or could be targeted. In fact, many cyber espionage attacks resemble a “hoovering” approach – seeking to acquire any and all types of information and data – while only a few are deliberately targeted at specific systems and data. That said, some attacks are deliberately designed to search for vulnerabilities in these systems that might be exploited in the future. Second, the intentions behind these types of attacks are mixed, and range from simple hacking in order to see what is going on (as was probably the case with KGB attacks on the SDI in the 1980s); operations designed to steal data in order to help with building indigenous systems –i.e. in order to facilitate the development of missile defence programs, or that can be used to evade these systems in the future – for example learning about the algorithms that undergird the system or acquiring data about the way the kill vehicle works; right up to cyber activities designed to enable future attacks and even lay the foundation to sabotage these systems – such as was the case in the Olympic Games and Stuxnet cyber attacks against Iran. At least some of these scenarios raise significant questions about the future efficacy of various BMD systems, and add another layer to the debate about costs and effectiveness that has always been a contentious part of the BMD story.

 

In March last year, Vice Admiral James Syring, head of the US Missile Defense Agency, announced that the MDA was “working diligently to enhance the cybersecurity posture of missile defense networks, and improve the protection of missile defence information”[1] but cyber defence and security is unlikely to ever be perfect.  It is almost certain that potential US foes have gleaned some information on how US (and Israeli) BMD systems work, and while this may not yet be catastrophic, the importance of protecting these systems, the processes and hardware that facilitate them and the data they rely on will be fundamental as we go forward.  If this is not done, there will always be a risk that systems might be compromised, beaten or simply not work as expected.

 

* Dr. Futter is a Senior Lecturer in International Politics in the Department of Politics & International Relations at the University of Leicester. 

[1] See Clifford Stoll, “The cuckoo’s egg: tracking a spy through the maze of computer espionage”, (London, Doubleday: 1989)

Partager cet article
Repost0
5 mars 2015 4 05 /03 /mars /2015 15:55
MBDA names Jérôme Dufour as Director of Communications

 

05 Mar , 2015 By IDR News Network

 

Jérôme Dufour has been appointed MBDA’s new Director of Communications and will take up his role on 9th March, 2015. He will report directly to Antoine Bouvier, CEO of MBDA, and takes over from Yves Barillé  who has moved to Airbus Helicopters as its new Director of Communications.

 

Aged 46, Jérôme Dufour started his career with Giat Industries in 1993 where he had several roles of an operational nature until, in 2004, he became responsible for the Communications and Public Affairs Directorate of the business which duly became Nexter in 2006. Following this, in 2010, he joined Thales as its Group Director of Communications.

 

On the occasion of Yves Barillé’s  departure, Antoine Bouvier said: “I would like to take this opportunity of warmly thanking Yves for his personal contribution in the construction of the European group MBDA while carrying out the function of Director of Internal Communications as of 2002 and subsequently that of Group Communications Director. During this latter phase, he was instrumental in reinforcing the image of MBDA both within our domestic and export countries.  I wish him every success in his new role at Airbus Helicopters.

 

I am delighted to welcome the arrival of Jérôme Dufour . Thanks to his widely recognised experience as a communications professional as well as his extensive experience in the defence sector with which he has been familiar for many years, Jérôme will allow us to further reinforce the image of the MBDA group, especially as a partner of our domestic countries’ armed forces and as a trusted supplier to our export countries”.

Partager cet article
Repost0
5 mars 2015 4 05 /03 /mars /2015 07:20
Tomahawk Synthetic Guidance Flight Test


4 mars 2015 NAVAIRSYSCOM

 

A synthetically guided Tomahawk cruise missile successfully hits a moving maritime target Jan. 27 after being launched from USS Kidd (DDG 100) near San Nicolas Island in California. The missile altered its course toward the target after receiving position updates from surveillance aircraft. (U.S. Navy video)

Partager cet article
Repost0
5 mars 2015 4 05 /03 /mars /2015 07:20
AGM-86 ALCM - photo USAF

AGM-86 ALCM - photo USAF

 

3 Mar 2015 By: Stephen Trimble - FG

 

Washington DC - The US Air Force will consider a supersonic engine among three propulsion options now under review for the long range standoff (LRSO) missile, according to an acquisition notice released on 26 February.

The LRSO is expected to replace the Boeing AGM-86 air launched cruise missile, a subsonic weapon powered by a Williams F107 turbofan engine.

The USAF is considering two subsonic engine options – a derivative of an existing engine with 5% greater fuel efficiency and an advanced engine offering up to 20% better fuel efficiency, according to the request for information released by the LRSO branch of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center.

A third option under review is a supersonic engine that would be sized comparably to “existing small core expendable engines”, the acquisition document says.

 

Read more

Partager cet article
Repost0
3 mars 2015 2 03 /03 /mars /2015 17:50
Materieel Patriotmissie Turkije weer terug - @Defensie


3 mars 2015 Defensie.NL

 

Al het materieel dat voor de Patriotmissie in Turkije was, is terug. Het schip dat het luchtafweergeschut, goederen en voertuigen transporteerde, meerde maandag 2 maart 2014 af in Eemshaven.
3 maart gaan meer dan 160 voertuigen in verschillende colonnes de weg op. Nog eens zo’n 70 containers volgen woensdag. Die dag is alles weer terug op de Luitenant-Generaal Bestkazerne in het Limburgse Vredepeel. Het materieel krijgt er groot onderhoud en wordt gemodificeerd.

http://defensie.nl
http://werkenbijdefensie.nl

http://magazines.defensie.nl
http://twitter.com/defensie

Partager cet article
Repost0
3 mars 2015 2 03 /03 /mars /2015 17:35
Vietnam Received Geographic Information System for the Missile Complex "Bastion"

 

03.03.2015 by Maki Catama - aseanmildef.com

 

HANOI, --  Russia has delivered Vietnam Geographic Information System (GIS) "Horizon" for coastal missile complex "Bastion" said Tass source in the military-technical cooperation.

"We have carried out the supply of "Horizon" to our Vietnamese partners. This system is designed for coastal missile complex "Bastion" and onshore exploration air and surface surveillance" Monolith-B "- a spokesman said.

"Horizon" designed by Automatic Apparatus Research Institute, Semenikhina (included in the combined instrument-making corporation of the State Corporation "Rostec"). This system was first presented to the public at the exhibition MILEX-2014. The site Corporation reported that "Horizon" has unique capabilities for speed, quality of information displayed and processing very large volumes of map data. In corporations argue that such a display quality nobody else has not yet reached.

Complex "Bastion" is equipped with anti-ship missiles "Yakhont" and is designed to destroy various surface ships, both single and in the composition of airborne compounds percussion groups and convoys. In addition, it can also affect ground targets. Intelligence systems "Monolith-B" horizon designed to detect and track air and sea targets.

Partager cet article
Repost0
3 mars 2015 2 03 /03 /mars /2015 17:30
The mobile, self-contained coastal defense battery developed jointly by three companies. Photo: MDBA  Read more: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2015/02/24/Coastal-defense-system-makes-debut/6131424777159/#ixzz3TKZesgi5

The mobile, self-contained coastal defense battery developed jointly by three companies. Photo: MDBA Read more: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Security-Industry/2015/02/24/Coastal-defense-system-makes-debut/6131424777159/#ixzz3TKZesgi5


ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, Feb. 24 (UPI)

 

A proposed self-contained coastal battery system that fires two types of missiles has been unveiled at an international defense exhibition.

The proposed system is from Siham Al Khaleej Technology of the United Arab Emirates, European missile systems company MBDA, and GEM elettronica of Italy.

The system, displayed at the International Defense Exhibition and Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.


Read more

 
Partager cet article
Repost0
3 mars 2015 2 03 /03 /mars /2015 12:35
Artist's impression of an F-35 releasing a joint strike missile. Photo Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace

Artist's impression of an F-35 releasing a joint strike missile. Photo Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace



CANBERRA, Australia, Feb. 27 by Richard Tomkins (UPI)

 

 Australia announced this week a cooperative development deal with Norway for a Joint Strike Missile for F-35s and a strategic alliance with the Airbus Group.

The agreement with the Norwegian government aims to introduce the maritime strike missile by Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace on F-35 Lightening II fighters in the early 2020s.

"Although far apart geographically, Norway and Australia share many of the same challenges," said Norwegian Minister of Defense Ine Eriksen Søreide. "We are both maritime nations on the periphery of our immediate regions, with a large land mass and even larger maritime territories, yet relatively limited populations. This means that we have to maximize the effects of the capabilities that we invest in to ensure that they cover as much of the spectrum of operations as possible."

Norway and Australia are both obtaining F-35 jets from the United States. So far, Australia has ordered 14 of the aircraft; Norway is purchasing as many as 52.

Australia has not yet committed to purchasing the missile but Australia's early participation in a cooperative JSM development program would "maximize the cost effectiveness of Australia's contribution, and ensure the weapon capability is developed and integrated onto the F-35A in the timeline required by Australia, should the Joint Strike Missile be ultimately considered for acquisition by government later this decade," said Australian Defense Minister Kevin Andrews.

Australia, as with Norway, supplies a number of components and systems for the fighter, which is being produced by a Lockheed Martin-led team involving multiple nations, including Britain, Turkey and Israel.

Australia's first two F-35s were delivered last year and are currently based at an F-35 pilot training center in the United States.

"The (Norwegian) JSM is already a very capable missile, but with the support of Australia, we hope to make it even better, Eriksen Soreide said. "Though Australia is still a few years away from making any final decisions on its future maritime strike capability, we are encouraged by the interest they have shown for both the missile and for the capabilities of Norwegian industry.

"We should now continue talks between our two governments, and aim to formalize this agreement in the near future."

The Norwegian minister visited Australia earlier this week.

The Joint Strike Missile is a long-range precision strike weapon that was designed to fit within the internal weapons bay of the F-35. It features advanced navigation, a passive infrared seeker, low signature and enhanced maneuverability.

Australia will provide Norway its expertise in missile control and guidance systems for the JSF weapon.

Under the second agreement between the Australian Department of Defense's Science and Technology Organization and Airbus Group Australia Pacific, the two are to collaborate on a variety research and development projects in the area of aerospace defense technologies.

DSTO said the collaboration deal, signed at an aerospace exhibition in Australia, would specifically focus on aircraft defense and communications.

"Our collaboration with Airbus Group will ensure the highest levels of support for the ADF's (Australian Defense Force's) future aerospace systems," said DSTO Chief Defense Scientist Dr Alex Zelinsky.

Added Airbus Group Australia Pacific Managing Director Jens Goennemann: "Airbus Group has been good friends and business partners with DSTO for a long time and this strategic alliance can only enhance that successful relationship.

"Combining Airbus Group's aerospace expertise with DSTO's scientific innovation will lead to increased Australian defense capabilities in the future."

Partager cet article
Repost0
2 mars 2015 1 02 /03 /mars /2015 17:30
RAF Strike on ISIL 27 February



2 mars 2015 defenceheadquarters

 

In the early hours of Friday 27 February, an RAF Tornado GR4 patrol conducted reconnaissance to the north-west of Haditha. An ISIL armoured personnel carrier was located, and destroyed with a Brimstone missile.

Partager cet article
Repost0
2 mars 2015 1 02 /03 /mars /2015 12:20
LRASM Completes 3rd Successful Flight Test

 

ORLANDO, Fla., Feb. 19, 2015by Lockheed Martin

 

 

The Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) built by Lockheed Martin achieved a third successful air-launched flight test, with the missile performing as expected during low altitude flight.

The test, conducted on Feb. 4, was in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy joint-service LRASM program.   

Flying over the Sea Range at Point Mugu, California, a U.S. Air Force B-1B bomber from the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, released the LRASM prototype, which navigated through planned waypoints receiving in-flight targeting updates from the weapon data link.

“LRASM continues to prove its maturity and capabilities in this flight test program,” said Mike Fleming, LRASM air launch program director at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “This much-needed weapon seeks to provide a new capability that would enable deep strike in previously denied battle environments.”

LRASM is a precision-guided anti-ship standoff missile leveraging the successful Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range (JASSM-ER) heritage, and is designed to meet the needs of U.S. Navy and Air Force warfighters in a robust anti-access/area-denial threat environment. JASSM-ER, which recently completed its operational test program, provides a significant number of parts and assembly-process synergies with LRASM, resulting in cost savings for the U.S. Navy and Air Force Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare programs.

The tactically representative LRASM is built on the same award-winning production line in Pike County, Alabama, as JASSM-ER, demonstrating manufacturing and technology readiness levels sufficient to enter the engineering, manufacturing and development phase and to meet urgent operational needs.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 112,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2014 were $45.6 billion.

Partager cet article
Repost0
28 février 2015 6 28 /02 /février /2015 16:20
photo MDA

photo MDA

 

Feb 27, 2015 Spacewar.com  (XNA)

 

Washington DC - The U.S. military launched three suborbital rockets near-simultaneously Tuesday as part of a ballistic missile defense (BMD) test involving the Aegis weapon system.

 

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said in a statement that the rockets were acquired and tracked by sailors aboard two Aegis BMD destroyers while a third destroyer participated in associated operations.

 

Using this data, the Aegis BMD ships then conducted simulated guided missile engagements with the Distributed Weighted Engagement Scheme (DWES) capability enabled to determine which ship is the preferred shooter, thereby reducing duplication of BMD engagements and missile expenditures while ensuring BMD threat coverage.

 

Since no guided missiles were launched, the test did not include an attempted intercept, and the MDA noted that the test was "successfully completed."

 

"This was the first flight test to assess the ability of the Aegis BMD 4.0 weapon system to simulate engagements of a raid consisting of three short-range, separating ballistic missile targets," the statement said. "This was also the first time Aegis BMD 4.0 ships used the DWES capability with live targets."

 

The rockets were launched between 2:30 a.m. and 2:31 a.m. EDT ( 0730 GMT and 0731 GMT) from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in the state of Virginia, the U.S. space agency said.

 

Aegis BMD, managed by the MDA and the U.S. Navy, is the naval component of the U.S. ballistic missile defense system.

Partager cet article
Repost0

Présentation

  • : RP Defense
  • : Web review defence industry - Revue du web industrie de défense - company information - news in France, Europe and elsewhere ...
  • Contact

Recherche

Articles Récents

Categories