SBIRS Satellite Provide ‘Unblinking Eyes’, Constantly Monitoring Hotspots Worldwide
The Pentagon is harnessing its strategic missile warning system to conduct surveillance on a global scale, improving strategic situational awareness over the entire planet. A new Battlespace Awareness Center (OBA) that came online last month processes massive streams of satellite infrared immagery, generating Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) that turns the pentagon's 'Space-Based Infra-Red Systems' (SBIRS) into an all-seeing, unblinking eye.
Israel at the Paris Air Show: Photo Report #1
Some of the new systems introduced today by Israel's defense companies at the 51st Paris Air Show.
Aberdeen based aerostat in position to protect Washington from cruise missile attack
The U.S. Army lofted today the first JLENS - Joint Land Attack Elevated netted Sensor aerostat system at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. This large aerostat blimp is equipped with a new cruise-missile and drone-fighting radar system that will cover a wide airspace from Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania up to New York and New Jersey.
Paris Air Show 2015: Military and Defense Technology Trends to Follow
A superficial look at the 51st Salon la Bourget may give the impression that this year's Air Show is all about civil and commercial aviation. Take a closer look at the aisles and the static park, look under the wings or below some innocent looking planes, and you will realize that military aerospace is still 'in.'
High Flying Drones Recruited for Missile Defense
Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) are currently tested with Airborne Infrared (ABIR) sensors – performing persistent, forward pickets to spot hostile missile launches and track them through their flight trajectory. These missions will soon evolve as RPAs become operational, and augment existing radar and space-based sensors, providing midcourse tracking and target discrimination, to help targeting ground and ship-based missile defense interceptors. In the next phase MDA will equip even larger unmanned platforms with high-power laser systems, to perform boost-phase intercept. The agency plans to demonstrate such systems in 2021.
US should be prepared to meet North Korean KN08 ICBM
The US is concerned that north Korean provocations could start a cycle of action and counteraction, leading to an unintended, uncontrolled escalation. General Curtis Scaparrotti, the commanding general of U.S. Forces in South Korea considers that, although untested yet, the North Korean KN08 missile is a real threat
Successful Intercepts Sweeten the End of a Challenging Year for Missile Defense
The US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has completed three major missile defense tests this week, a closing accord for an ambitious test plan this year. Two tests performed earlier today included a successful exo-atmospheric intercept test of the Arrow 3 interceptor, and first intercept mission of the Land-Based Standard Missile SM-3 Block IB launched from a land-based site. A third test conducted earlier this week tested the latest, most advanced variant of Standard Missile 3 series, the US-Japanese SM-3 Block IIA.
SM-3B performs first launch from land-based unit
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency conducted the first flight test of the Raytheon-made Standard Missile-3 from the Aegis Ashore weapon system. Aegis Ashore will provide the effector (missile interceptor) operated by the joint U.S.-European missile defense capability to be deployed in Romania by 2016. The system will protect U.S. deployed and NATO forces in Europe from ballistic missile attack. The...
THAAD Succserfully Intercepts an IRBM Target from Alaska
U.S. missile defense capabilities were demonstrated today in a first of a kind intercept of an Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) target by the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. The intercept took place 2,500 miles south of Alaska, near Hawaii, demonstrating THAAD's strategic defense capabilities, particularly against the threat types currently presented from North Korea.
IAI’s Barak-ER Performs Successful Ballistic missile Intercept
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) today unveiled details of the comprehensive trials series of Barak-ER system, tested against a range of scenarios and threats, culminated with the intercept of a ballistic missile target by the BARAK ER (Extended Range) interceptor. BARAK-ER provides wide-area protection against a range of air, sea, and ground threats, including ballistic, ground-to-ground, and cruise missiles, UAVs, and helicopters.
New Missile Killer Performs Test Flight, on Schedule for 2018 Deployment
The United States and Japan have conducted the first flight test of a new version of the Standard Missile-3 (SM-3 Block IIA). This new missile interceptor is designed to extend the reach of current AEGIS Ballistic Missile defense systems deployed on naval ships and ashore. It is being developed jointly by the two countries at a combined cost of $2...
Terra – Israel’s Strategic Multi-Radar System-of-Systems for Air- and Missile-Defense from IAI
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) unveiled today the ELM-2090S Spectra 'mega radar', an 'S band' companion to the Ultra UHF radar system introduced few months ago.
Indo-Israeli Barak 8 Scores Direct Hit on 1st Sea Launch
Israel's Ministry of Defense and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) conducted today the first full system flight and intercept test of the Barak 8 missile system developed jointly by Israel and India. This was the second time that the Barak-8 missile scores a direct hit, a testament of the system's capability to deal with highly maneuverable targets
Fake or true? Intriguing Intercept Video
Carefully inspecting the video that provided evidence of the successful ICBM intercept by the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV), one cannot ignore the anomaly visible on 00:59, showing an object closing in rapidly from the left and surviving the explosion. Defense-Update raises the questions and provides some possible answers...
