ABM/Missile Defense Discussion

[vikas_pandey]

Is THEL only $3K/ hit? What is the hit probability? Sounds pretty good. Hope, this can be improvised for ABM/ ACM capabilities. Also, are we not already working on similar areas? If I remember correctly, KALI supposedly has similar applications.

Any recent updates about KALI etc?
I have few links for kinetic attack loitering interceptor (KALI)

http://www.barc.ernet.in/webpages/organ ... 5000_m.htm

http://www.stratmag.com/issue2July-1/page02.htm

http://www.timesofindia.com/190899/19indi8.htm

[uddu]

Airborne Laser (ABL)
http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/mil ... ssion.html

http://www.globalsecurity.org/space/systems/abl.htm

"We are now trying to develop ballistic missile defence system like hypersonic class of missiles and long-range detection and tracking radars'', Director of Hyderabad-based Research Centre Imarat (RCI), V.K. Saraswat, told PTI here. "We are going to concentrate on that," he said.

It is a bit way off, but we are firmly on route and hope to convert it into a deployable system in four-five years.

Since this was said in 2003. We can expect this system in 2007-08 which is very close. So acquiring of other systems is susceptible.

[Ragav]

is it not easy to take down a ballistic missile in boost phase rather than intercepting the manoeuvering warhead especially wrt tsp?

[Arun_S]

U.S. Could Kill Antimissile Laser Project

The United States could end an effort to develop a laser designed to shoot down ballistic missiles from a Boeing 747, Reuters reported yesterday (see GSN, Aug. 5).

The White House budget office, in its review of the draft Defense Department budget for fiscal 2007, designated the Airborne Laser program a “high-risk” project that could be eliminated in an effort to cut costs.

Development of the Airborne Laser is expected to cost slightly more than $5.1 billion through 2009. The Bush administration has not made its final decision on the fate of the project, one official told Reuters.

“Ideas are frequently exchanged with agencies for ways to meet tough budget targets with the final decision left to the agency,” the official said.

The Missile Defense Agency budget for fiscal 2007 “is still being prepared and [is] thus not finalized,” said spokesman Richard Lehner.

Also possibly on the chopping block in fiscal 2007 is the Space Tracking and Surveillance System missile defense sensor network, Reuters reported (Jim Wolf, Reuters, Nov. 30).

[ShibaPJ]

India, Russia sign Tunguska-M1 deal

India has signed a $400 million contract for purchase of four batteries of Tunguska-M1 gun-missile air defence complexes from Russia, media reports in Moscow said on Tuesday.
India already has more than 60 older versions of Tunguska and two batteries (12 units) of the new complexes capable of destroying enemy aircraft within a range of 10 km with its precision missiles and shells, Interfax news agency reported quoting unnamed defence industry sources.

So sad.. Seems like another nail in the coffin for Trishul !!!!

[Raj Malhotra]

India, Russia sign Tunguska-M1 deal

India has signed a $400 million contract for purchase of four batteries of Tunguska-M1 gun-missile air defence complexes from Russia, media reports in Moscow said on Tuesday.
India already has more than 60 older versions of Tunguska and two batteries (12 units) of the new complexes capable of destroying enemy aircraft within a range of 10 km with its precision missiles and shells, Interfax news agency reported quoting unnamed defence industry sources.

So sad.. Seems like another nail in the coffin for Trishul !!!!

Barak and Tungushka together are undermining the Trishul.

This apart this is another instance of heavy duty tracked vehicle suitable for desert-plains warfare while the real action is in COIN or will be at LoC-LAC. So we are still buying equipment for thrust through Rajasthan into Sind. While almost everybody feels that this not a viable strategy anymore.

Not to mention that this seems like another overpriced Single Vendor deal on the line of Scorps.

There will be most probably no offset from Russians and there is no mention of Indian license production.

I wonder why not put Rs 2000 crores into Trishul?

[Tilak]

Japan backs joint US missile plan
Saturday, 24 December 2005

Japan has approved a joint missile defence programme with the US.

The project aims to produce an advanced version of the US system, which seeks to destroy incoming missiles before they reach their targets.

Chief cabinet secretary Shinzo Abe said Japan needed to defend itself against ballistic missiles under the current international circumstances.

The move comes amid concerns at North Korea's growing missile capability, as well as other regional threats.

'Constitution breach'

Prime Minister Junichuro Koizumi signed off a budget that will set aside more than $25m (£14.4m) for initial work.

The politically sensitive project is expected to take nine years to complete, with Japan shouldering more than $1bn of the overall costs.

The cabinet's controversial decision is seen by many Japanese as being made in breach of the so-called peace clause of the constitution, which specifically renounces the country's capacity to make war.

The joint project, whose products will be sold to the US, will also technically break Japan's strict embargo on exporting arms, a breach that successive defence agency chiefs have described as inevitable.

[JaiS]

BMD Focus: 2005 was breakthrough year

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 (UPI) -- 2005 was "a tremendous year" for America's missile Defense Agency, Lt. Gen. Henry "Trey" Obering, the MDA's director, told UPI in a recent exclusive interview. And it wasn't just for the MDA: 2005 was the break-out year for ballistic missile defense worldwide.

It was the year Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi pushed through the institutionalization of Japan's high-tech BMD cooperation with the United States in a series of hugely ambitious projects, including the purchase of more than $1 billion worth of U.S.-built Standard Missile 3s developed for the sea-based Aegis anti-ballistic missile system to defend against threats from unpredictable North Korea.

It was also the year that India signed a far-reaching series of strategic accords with the United States that included joint cooperation on ballistic missile defense.

But the biggest developments by far were in the U.S. missile defense program.

The year began badly for the Bush administration's ballistic defense program with another test failure of a Ground-based Mid-Course Interceptor in a test launch from Kwajalein island in the Pacific. The rocket never took off.

But by the end of the year, the Missile Defense Agency was celebrating a string of triumphs: It had a successful Aegis intercept test in November and a successful THAAD flight test the same month. And on Dec. 13, it celebrated a successful flight test of the operational configuration of the Ground-Based Mid-Course Interceptor.

The MDA also achieved major progress in developing and deploying other sensors and weapons in recent months. It successfully acquired and tracked ICBMs with it Forward-Based X-Band radar. It tested its Cobra Dane radar against an air-launched target and achieved an intercept solution generated and processed by our fire control system.

It achieved high-power radiation with successful tests in the Gulf of Mexico of its enormous Sea-Based X-Band radar currently in transit to southern Alaska. And it added four Aegis Long-Range Surveillance and Tracking destroyers to its force making 10 in all deployed so far.

It also added a second Aegis engagement cruiser to its force and emplaced two more Ground-Based Midcourse interceptors at Fort Greely in Alaska making eight there with two additional interceptors at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The MDA's Airborne Laser achieved full duration lase at operational power and completed the initial flight tests of its beam control, fire control system on a Boeing 747.

It was also, more soberly, a year when the enemies of ballistic missile defense pushed ahead around the world with their own plans to outflank it or render it obsolete.

Russia pushed ahead with a generally successful program of ambitious intercontinental ballistic missile tests of both land-based Topol-M and sea-based, submarine-launched Bulava missiles. The Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, funded by a flood of petrodollars from record global oil prices, embarked upon their most extensive and ambitious upgrading in a quarter of a century. They implemented a program of replacing old stationary missiles with road-mobile ones and liquid-fueled ones with solid-fueled ones that could accelerate far faster during their potentially vulnerable boost phase. The new missiles also threatened to prove far more resistant to being ignited in flight by the Airborne Laser.

India followed Israel's lead in seeking to develop a survivable second-strike capability of nuclear-armed cruise missiles carried aboard a mini-fleet of diesel-powered submarines: German-built Dolphin class subs or U-boats for Israel and French-built Scorpenes for India.

[Arun_S]

India followed Israel's lead in seeking to develop a survivable second-strike capability of nuclear-armed cruise missiles carried aboard a mini-fleet of diesel-powered submarines:

HUmm I did not see any progress in Sagarika (the sub launched strategic missile), where did this happen unless he is talking of BrahMos.

[Austin]

HUmm I did not see any progress in Sagarika (the sub launched strategic missile), where did this happen unless he is talking of BrahMos

Kloooooob

The WNC chief in an interview has stated that IN is working with DRDO on a 1500 Km+ range cruise missile , And from the past news on Banglore Entity working on Guidance etc , The CM will have capability similar to Tomahawk Block 4.

[sameer]

I think it is only a matter of time before the Chinese start transferring some JL-1s to TSP. BTW..is there any issue into fitting these onto the Agostas??

[Jaeger]

I think it is only a matter of time before the Chinese start transferring some JL-1s to TSP. BTW..is there any issue into fitting these onto the Agostas??

Well let's see... maybe the Agosta can carry one or two JL1's on it's back. In a dry dock. With some supporting trusses.

Agosta 90B:
Displacement: 1,760 tons submerged, 2,050 tons with MESMA
Dimensions: 67.57 x 6.8 x 5.4 meters (221.5 x 22 x 18 feet)

Xia SSBN (12xJL1)
Displacement 6500-8000 ton (>3xA90B)
Length 120m (~1.8xA90B)
Beam 10m (~1.5xA90B)
Draught 8m (not including hull superstructure behind the sail; ~1.5xA90B)

JL1 SLBM:
Length [meters] 10.7
Diameter [meters] 1.4
Mass [kilograms] 14,700

[Rakesh]

India considering Russian anti-missile shield offer

[Jaeger]

If we're looking at the RUian ABM offer, then what happens to RCI's anti-missile program that they were to unveil sometime this year? Or was that just a "projected study" or some such thing?

This deal seems to be a bit of overkill, all things considered... or we're really taking that whole $10bn. a year thing seriously. Either way, there's a lot of very foggy work happening here.

[JCage]

RCI's missile program [imho, based on reading all the reports about it] seems to be a combination of ready & to be developed systems (sensors and missiles), both Indian and imported , tied together in a ABM grid by India, with gradual indigenization of systems over time. Codevelopment would be great and the S-400 program would be a good place to begin with. IMHO, the initial GreenPines purchased are serving as an initial step towards fielding some BM detection capability, while we work on our own radars, and the S-400 codevelopment could speed up work on our own LR Missiles and associated technologies- hit to kill etc.

[Austin]

If we require a real Missile Defence against limited ICBM/IRBM attacks , A Agni based interceptors ( Agni-1 type ) fitted with a N-warhead which intercepts the ICBM/IRBM over the atmosphere and destroys the incoming missile in space before reentry supported by OTH and Satellite survellence , Something like Russia's Glosh/Gorgon/Gazzle(ABM-3 ) and US Sprint system

Such system can provide limited defence , A real defence against missile is to build ones offensive capability , so that it deters and even if it dosent the retaliation is massive.

We should base our nuclear strategy in achieving a winnable Nuclear war against Pakistan and strategically offensive and dettering capability against China. For me thats the real mantra.

[krishnan]

If we require a real Missile Defence against limited ICBM/IRBM attacks , A Agni based interceptors ( Agni-1 type ) fitted with a N-warhead which intercepts the ICBM/IRBM over the atmosphere and destroys the incoming missile in space before reentry supported by OTH and Satellite survellence

Agni-1 as in interceptor?

[Austin]

Agni-1 as in interceptor?

Yes have you seen the shorter range 700 Km Agni-1 , thats the ideal interceptor for over the atmosphere (space) interception when fitted with a KT N-Warhead.

Need to add here that system like S-300/400 , Arrow ,PAC-3 etc intercepts the missile in the atmosphere and the chances of Debris falling or worst if the BM carries a Nuclear warhead thus contaminating owns territory etc is dangerously real.

http://www.missilethreat.com/systems/gorgon.html
http://www.missilethreat.com/systems/gazelle.html
http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/program ... gorgon.htm
http://www.fas.org/spp/starwars/program/soviet/abm3.htm

[JaiS]

North Korea, Iran Pose Missile Threat to U.S., General Says

WASHINGTON --- The proliferation of ballistic missile technology threatens the security of the United States, the director of the Missile Defense Agency said here yesterday.

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry A. Obering III said there were about 80 foreign ballistic missile launches in 2005 and that North Korea and Iran are steadily advancing in their missile capabilities.

In 2004, the Missile Defense Agency fielded its initial ground-based midcourse defense components, which have the capability to strike a missile while it's in the air. "We made history by establishing a limited defensive capability for the United States against a possible long-range ballistic missile attack from North Korea and the Middle East," Obering said.

The agency has thus far placed nine anti-ballistic missiles -- or interceptor missiles -- in Alaska and two in California. The interceptors can be brought to alert status in an emergency but are not yet on full-time activation. The anti-ballistic missiles in Alaska and California are "hit-to-kill" interceptors that destroy incoming enemy missiles by physically colliding into them.

The general explained that the agency is working toward a layered missile defense system, in which an enemy missile could be targeted and destroyed in its launch, mid-course or descent phase.

Aside from ground-based interceptors, the agency is also developing sea- and air-based missile defense means as part of its integrated approach. "We are close to the 10 to 20 sea-based interceptors we projected for delivery in our initial program," Obering said.

An airborne laser is also being developed and tested. The laser would be fitted to a modified Boeing 747. According to the agency's Web site, the laser would destroy a missile by heating its metal skin until it cracks, causing the boosting missile to fail.

[JaiS]

Raytheon and ATK Demonstrate Advanced SM-3 Third Stage Rocket Motor Design

TUCSON, Ariz. --- Raytheon Company and Alliant Techsystems have successfully completed the first hot-fire test of a Standard Missile-3 Block IA third stage rocket motor (TSRM), employing new nozzle design enhancements to improve performance and reliability.

The test, conducted Feb. 28 at ATK's Elkton, Md., facility, marked a major milestone in the evolutionary enhancement of this proven system design. The TSRM is used to boost the SM-3 out of the atmosphere and to carry the Mk142 kinetic warhead (KW) to its intended target.

The TSRM test performed multi-pulse operations representative of a simulated mission designed to rigorously stress the system. All test objectives were met. These features are planned to be part of an SM-3 Block IA flight demonstration later this year.

The SM-3 is part of the Missile Defense Agency and U.S. Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) system to counter ballistic missile threats in outer space. The SM-3 KW separates from the TSRM during the terminal intercept phase to track the target with its infrared seeker and homes to a kinetic hit-to-kill intercept. During flight testing, the Aegis BMD system has successfully intercepted six ballistic missile targets.

[JaiS]

Missile Defense Agency, Japan Defense Agency and Lockheed Martin Complete Successful Missile Defense Test

KAUII, Hawaii --- The Aegis-equipped cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG-70) successfully launched a Standard Missile (SM)-3 with a cooperatively engineered, experimental nosecone.

The experimental nosecone is the result of joint cooperative research by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Japan Defense Agency (JDA) and U.S. and Japanese industry. Lockheed Martin, as the U.S. Navy's combat systems engineering agent for the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) System, provided the system engineering to integrate the experimental Raytheon SM-3 missile configuration into the Aegis BMD Weapon System.

The test, Joint Control Test Vehicle-1 (JCTV-1), was the first flight test of the experimental nosecone. In the standard SM-3 configuration, the missile must maneuver to eject the nosecone, uncovering the exoatmospheric kill vehicle, which is then deployed to intercept the target. In the experimental configuration, the nosecone opens like a clam shell to more quickly uncover and release the kill vehicle without any missile maneuvers. The flight test mission objectives included evaluation of the advanced nosecone design and characterization of the Aegis BMD Weapon System's performance using this design.

The MDA and the U.S. Navy are jointly developing Aegis BMD as part of the United States' Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). Ultimately 15 U.S. Navy Aegis destroyers and three Aegis cruisers will be outfitted with the capability to conduct Long Range Surveillance and Tracking (LRS&T) and engagement of short and medium-range ballistic missile threats using the Aegis BMD Weapon System and its SM-3 missile. To date, 11 Aegis destroyers have been upgraded with the LRS&T capability and two Aegis cruisers have been outfitted with the emergency engagement and LRS&T capability.

Japan is modifying the first of up to four Kongo-class Aegis-equipped destroyers with the Aegis BMD system.

The Aegis Weapon System is the world's premier naval surface defense system and is the foundation for Aegis BMD, the primary component of the sea- based element of U.S. BMDS. Aegis BMD seamlessly integrates new capabilities of the SPY-1 radar, the MK 41 Vertical Launching System and adds the SM-3 missile into the existing Aegis Weapon System's command and control system. Aegis BMD is also integrated with BMDS, receiving cues from and providing cueing information to other BMDS elements.

[JCage]

India, Russia sign Tunguska-M1 deal

India has signed a $400 million contract for purchase of four batteries of Tunguska-M1 gun-missile air defence complexes from Russia, media reports in Moscow said on Tuesday.
India already has more than 60 older versions of Tunguska and two batteries (12 units) of the new complexes capable of destroying enemy aircraft within a range of 10 km with its precision missiles and shells, Interfax news agency reported quoting unnamed defence industry sources.

So sad.. Seems like another nail in the coffin for Trishul !!!!

The IA SA-8's are not being replaced. Merely upgraded. If a modified/ upgraded Trishul meets IA/ IAF requirements, theres still some maneuvering space in terms of IA requirements- though it must be remembered that India is also going to purchase a few Spyder or VL Mica systems for SHORAD for the IAF.

[JaiS]

Lockheed Martin Completes First Pathfinder Seeker for Missile Defense Agency's Multiple Kill Vehicle System

SUNNYVALE, CA. --- Lockheed Martin announced today that it has completed the first kill vehicle pathfinder seeker for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency's Multiple Kill Vehicle System. Lockheed Martin is testing the pathfinder seeker in its hardware-in-the-loop facility, creating a vibration environment similar to the one the kill vehicle will experience while performing its mission.

Under sophisticated optical and electrical testing, the pathfinder seeker and associated kill vehicle electronics have been demonstrating full functionality In the event of an enemy launch, a single interceptor equipped with the Multiple Kill Vehicle payload system will destroy the enemy lethal reentry vehicle along with any countermeasures deployed to try and spoof the missile defense system. This many-on-many strategy reduces the need for extensive pre-launch intelligence and leverages the Ballistic Missile Defense System discrimination capability, ensuring a robust and affordable solution to emerging threats.

[Tilak]

Missile defense: today and tomorrow

MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti political commentator Andrei Kislyakov) - If December full-scale tests of interceptor missiles by the United States are successful, they will mark a watershed in today's contradictory history of strategic missile defense.

Is there a danger in this? There is. Lieutenant-General Henry Obering, director of the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency, said the December tests would attempt an actual capture of a target rocket in outer space. He described the coming firing as a final stage in the testing.

So should the December test be a success, the program will have no other option but to deploy ground- and space-based elements in full. It is also clear that this will put an end to haranguing about the future of missile defense, and set the ball rolling for opposition to the American initiative.

At the end of last year Yury Solomonov, director-general of one of Russia's key defense plants - the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology - said that new Russian missile and nuclear systems would provide an adequate response to the American anti-missile program and the resultant deployment of ground-based anti-missile weapons in Eastern Europe and of strike systems in outer space.

"I can say with full responsibility that everything being done in the world in this area was taken care of in advance when we developed our Topol-M (SS-27) and Bulava missile systems. The Topol-M design incorporates some entirely novel ideas. They have increased its survivability tenfold. For the next ten years it will have no rivals. The missile has a uniquely short boost phase, which rules out its interception when the engine is firing," he said.

At the end of September, Vladimir Belous, leading researcher with the Center for International Security at the Russian Academy of Sciences, said Russia intended to thoroughly modernize its strategic missiles. "Russia's first step in producing an asymmetric response to the deployment of an American anti-missile system near its borders will be to shorten the boost phase of the missile when its engines are firing full blast and giving off a lot of heat," he told journalists.

At present, he said, the boost phase lasts about 5 minutes. "It is enough to spot a missile launch from space, which takes 45 to 50 seconds. Experts estimate that if the burning time is cut to 130 seconds the possibility of kinetic interceptors hitting the missile will be reduced to a minimum," he said.

Belous added there are several methods of dealing with interceptor missiles - from generating radio noise and coating missile surfaces with reflecting materials to deploying interceptor killers near Russian borders and undertaking preventive destruction of anti-missile defenses.

All that fills one with pride for the Russian armed forces, but doesn't it amount to a fresh spiral in a missile-nuclear buildup with all ensuing military, political and economic consequences, plus preventive techniques? Besides, many other countries in addition to Russia are not elated about the American missile system. China, for example. The American program simply wipes out the Chinese potential. Looming behind China is the nuclear India. It is not inconceivable that the Chinese leadership, like the U.S.S.R. in its day, and to a certain extent Russia now, may take the road of building up its nuclear forces by massively deploying multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles. If this is not a potential full-scale nuclear arms race, what else is it? And who is interested in it?

[SaiK]

500 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) - generating the largest single international AMRAAM purchase -- and 200 AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles. $284 million procurement augments Pakistan's established
inventory and will provide the bulk of the air-to-air fire power of the Pakistan Air Force.

"This is the largest single purchase of AMRAAM missiles in the history of the AMRAAM international program," said Brock McCaman, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems' Air-to-Air product line.

"The combat-proven 'one-two punch' of Raytheon's AMRAAM/Sidewinder technology will give the Pakistan Air Force the necessary firepower to accomplish vital air defense missions."

Pakis getting AMRAAM and Sidewinders

[George J]

Et tu SaiK?

Then BAN SaiK!!!

[Tilak]

THAAD Weapon System Succesfully Intercepts Target Over Pacific Range
Saturday January 27, 2:39 am ET

DALLAS, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Missile Defense Agency and Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News) conducted a successful flight test of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) weapon system on January 26, intercepting a unitary target in THAAD's first flight test at the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) on Kauai, HI. This hit-to-kill intercept demonstrated THAAD's precision against in-bound threats and its ability to provide increased protection for troops and assets.

The flight test met all objectives, including demonstrating the integration of the radar, launcher, fire control and communications and interceptor operations; demonstrating radar and interceptor discrimination; and target acquisition and tracking by the interceptor's seeker.

"This successful test demonstrates THAAD's ability to take out hostile targets early and quickly," said Tom McGrath, Lockheed Martin's program manager and vice president for the THAAD program. "On the expansive range at PMRF, the THAAD missile can fly greater distances, increasing our testing options and creating a realistic tactical environment. We are happy to begin testing at PMRF with a success and look forward to many more exciting missions."

PMRF is the world's largest instrumented multi-environment range capable of supporting surface, subsurface, air, and space operations simultaneously. There are over 1,100 square miles of instrumented underwater range and over 42,000 square miles of controlled airspace.

The THAAD program began flight testing in November 2005 at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), NM. Three successful THAAD tests were conducted at WSMR including the intercept of a unitary target in July 2006.

THAAD is designed to defend U.S. troops, allied forces, population centers and critical infrastructure against short- to intermediate range ballistic missiles. THAAD comprises a fire control and communications system, interceptors, launchers and a radar. The THAAD interceptor uses hit-to-kill technology to destroy targets, and is the only weapon system that engages threat ballistic missiles at both endo- and exo-atmospheric altitudes.

A key element of the nation's Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS), THAAD is a Missile Defense Agency program, with the program office located in Huntsville, AL. The agency is developing a BMDS to defend the United States, its deployed forces, friends and allies against ballistic missiles of all ranges and in all phases of flight.

Lockheed Martin is a world leader in systems integration and the development of air and missile defense systems and technologies, including the first operational hit-to-kill missile. It also has considerable experience in missile design and production, infrared seekers, command and control/battle management, and communications, precision pointing and tracking optics, as well as radar and signal processing. The company makes significant contributions to all major U.S. missile defense systems and participates in several global missile defense partnerships.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.

[Vipul]

Chinese test to galvanise India's star war plans.

[JaiS]

Lockheed Martin Wins $979M Missile-Defense Job
http://www.financialnewsusa.com/release.php?rlsid=7052

City of Industry, CA --(www.FinancialNewsUSA.com)-- 03/05/2007 - Defense industry news provided by Financial News USA (OTC: FNWU). Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) received a $979 million contract from the Defense Department for continued work on the Aegis ballistic missile defense weapon. Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin will perform work related to the inclusion of the Aegis signal processor into the AN/SPY-1 radar, providing an advanced capability to defeat more complex missile threats. The signal processor will be installed on all Aegis ships beginning in 2010. Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) said

[JaiS]

Boeing-Missile Defense Works Better Than Expected


"We're ready to defend the nation," Scott Fancher, vice president and program director of the system, said of the ground-based midcourse (GMD) missile defense system Boeing is developing for the Pentagon.

The system was built to intercept and destroy enemy long-range ballistic missiles during the midcourse phase of their flight. It went on alert before the North Korean missile tests for "much longer than it had ever been before," Fancher said, although he declined to give an exact timespan.

"The system was much more robust than we had hoped," he said, referring to its software and memory banks.

Boeing, prime contractor for $13 billion system, was quickly able to correct the few issues that did arise, including memory buffers filling up, he said.

By the end of 2008, it should reach full capacity for simultaneous test and operation, he said.


Fancher said three ground tests and three flight tests of the midcourse defense system were planned in 2007, including two that will test the tracking capability of the Sea-Based X-Band Radar, a huge radar set on an oil industry platform.

In the third test, the floating radar will actually be the primary radar that decides how to engage the enemy missile.

A planned shootdown using the ABL on a mock enemy ballistic missile shortly after its launch was pushed back six months to 2009 due to issues with controlling the laser's beam.

[SaiK]

India to further boost missile shooting powerAdd to Clippings
Rajat Pandit
[ 16 Apr, 2007 0016hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
RSS Feeds| SMS NEWS to 8888 for latest updates

NEW DELHI: After testing the Agni-III missile last week, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is now gearing up for the second test of its fledgling ballistic missile defence (BMD) system. DRDO officials said the BMD system test to be held in May-June will be that of an "endo-atmospheric interceptor missile" this time, on the lines of the US Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) system.

"We intend to shoot down an incoming ballistic missile with the endo-atmospheric missile at about 30-km altitude," said an official.

The first test of the proposed two-tier BMD system took place on November 27 last year when an "exo-atmospheric" hypersonic interceptor missile was used to destroy an incoming Prithvi missile at an altitude of 50-km. The "endo-atmospheric" test is needed since a BMD system to be effective must be capable of targeting hostile missiles both inside (endo) or outside (exo) the Earth's atmosphere.

"The exo-atmospheric interceptor missile was designed by taking Prithvi's propulsion system and adding a second stage to it to ensure it could go up to a height of 90-km," said an official.

"The endo-atmospheric missile, in turn, has been developed to engage targets at about 30-km. After its test, we will test both exo and endo together. The BMD system will have to be tested for a variety of flight envelopes," he added.

That India needs a multi-layered missile defence system with an overlapping network of early-warning sensors, command posts and anti-missile land and sea-based missile batteries to tackle both ballistic and cruise missiles is a no-brainer. Pakistan, for instance, is surging ahead with its 'Ghauri' and 'Shaheen' ballistic missiles as well as the 'Babur' land-attack cruise missile.

It will, however, take at least five years for DRDO's BMD system, or even a medium range surface-to-air missile system (MRSAM), to become operationally ready. India has been discussing missile defence with both US and Israel for the past few years. With the US keen to sell the PAC-3 system to India, the first meeting of Indo-US defence Joint Working Group on April 10 saw the two sides talk missile defence yet again.

Interestingly, the crucial long-range tracking radar used in the "exo-atmospheric" BMD system test was based on two Israeli Green Pine early-warning and fire control radars imported by India in 2001-02. An integral part of the Israeli Arrow-2 BMD system, Green Pine radars can detect incoming missiles up to 500-km away and guide interceptor missiles to them accurately.

A ballistic missile can be targeted at all the three points in its trajectory boost or launch phase, mid-course in space or terminal phase during atmospheric descent. While the PAC-3 system intercepts hostile missiles in the lower atmosphere, the Arrow-2 system destroys them in stratosphere.

DRDO, on its part, is designing the BMD system to intercept an incoming missile at both the "second mid-course and terminal phases", with a "very high" kill probability. "The aim is to first engage in exo and then whatever remains, in endo," the official said.

Q: How is the exo and eno defined in terms of BD? in the sense, is it based on the effect of nuclear fallout or based on certain sphere distance above earth surface?

[Raj Malhotra]

India to further boost missile shooting powerAdd to Clippings
Rajat Pandit
[ 16 Apr, 2007 0016hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]
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NEW DELHI: After testing the Agni-III missile last week, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is now gearing up for the second test of its fledgling ballistic missile defence (BMD) system. DRDO officials said the BMD system test to be held in May-June will be that of an "endo-atmospheric interceptor missile" this time, on the lines of the US Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) system.

The exo-atmospheric interceptor missile was designed by taking Prithvi's propulsion system and adding a second stage to it to ensure it could go up to a height of 90-km," said an official.

Also look at another very important part - lookie lookie "90 km"

[Singha]

I wouldnt be surprised if the endo-atmospheric weapon turns out to be a
reborn version of Akash! these endo-things will be terminal defence and in large nos around vital targets, so a heavy prithvi isnt the ideal thing.

[Sparsh]

Singha,

Not quite. The endo-atmospheric interceptor is built around a solid rocket motor that is around 60-70 cm in diameter and around 600 cm in length. A lot different from the air breathing ramjet of the Akask. There is a photograph of a full scale mock-up on ACIG taken during the last DefExpo.

Ok, found it: http://www.acig.org/artman/uploads/univ.jpg

Also see: http://www.drdo.com/pub/techfocus/aug04/missile15.htm

[rakall]

I wouldnt be surprised if the endo-atmospheric weapon turns out to be a
reborn version of Akash! these endo-things will be terminal defence and in large nos around vital targets, so a heavy prithvi isnt the ideal thing.

i think it will be a totally new solid fuelled rocket..

[Raj Malhotra]

Using some info given by Arun, my guess would be Single Stage, 21-25inch dia, 3500kg missile with ARH, datalinks and Kinetic Kill warhead with back up explosive warhead of around 100-250kg. It will also have long range anti-aircraft role capable of bring down fighter aircraft at 100-150km range and low g transport-AWACS aircraft upto 200-250km range

[Singha]

sounds way bigger than the 9M96E2 which is 420kg, ceiling 30km.

a 3200kg SAM would have a range of 400km probably against large a/c.
it will be 2X the weight of Goliath and Giant missiles (1500kg) of S-300 family.

I suggest the weight be scaled down to 1.5 tons ?

and it should surely be 2-stage to jettison the big solid booster and unleash
the kind of high-G kill vehicle seen in PAD.

[Singha]

http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/china/nuke/index.html

lizard really has a pitiful force of 20 CSS-5 mod2 land based weapons
to threaten unkil with but if you see the respect and space accorded to
it, looks like 7000 SS-18 on hot standby.

thats the power of trade and deftly weakening the US elites from within.

[Arun_S]

Using some info given by Arun, my guess would be Single Stage, 21-25inch dia, 3500kg missile with ARH, datalinks and Kinetic Kill warhead with back up explosive warhead of around 100-250kg. It will also have long range anti-aircraft role capable of bring down fighter aircraft at 100-150km range and low g transport-AWACS aircraft upto 200-250km range

Yes a very high probability that the interceptor will be 0.75m diameter and 8.5m (6m + 2.5m) long.

For payload of 400Kg. Its burnout velocity is 2.7Km/sec

Large Size Solid Booster-- DRDO has developed a state-of-the-art case-bonded HTPB-based composite propellant with low burn rate of 4.3 mm/s at 50 KSC. This solid propellant rocket motor (dia 740/620 mm, length 6 m), made of 250 grade maraging steel, consists of a composite nozzle with metallic backup and lined with carbon phenolic liners. The motor is capable of generating 16 ton thrust for 38 s duration.

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[Arun_S]

I wouldnt be surprised if the endo-atmospheric weapon turns out to be a reborn version of Akash! these endo-things will be terminal defence and in large nos around vital targets, so a heavy prithvi isnt the ideal thing.

Humm, I think Ramjet propulsion is technically not feasible.