MDA seeks laser-armed HALE UAV for counter-ICBM role

The United States is looking to field a laser-armed UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) to intercept ICBMs (Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles) towards the middle of the next decade, the MDA (Missile Defense Agency) disclosed on 13 June.

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Aegis: ¿Sabes qué es?

En los últimos meses, los españoles estamos encontrando frecuentes referencias al sistema Aegis en los medios de comunicación. Vamos a tratar en este Post de ofrecer algunas nociones básicas sobre este sistema.

Aegis (del griego αἰγίς, aigís) corresponde a la denominación del componente marítimo del sistema defensivo contra misiles balísticos desarrollado por la MDA (Missile Defense Agency) en cooperación con la US Navy. Lo componen buques de guerra que poseen la capacidad de interceptar y destruir misiles balísticos de corto y medio alcance, lanzados desde posiciones enemigas.

¿Cómo se intercepta un misil enemigo?

La interceptación y destrucción de misiles balísticos es realizada a su vez por otros misiles lanzados desde un buque de guerra. Más concretamente:

• Misiles interceptores SM-3 (Standard Missile 3) para interceptar los misiles balísticos en su fase de vuelo intermedia; esto es, en su fase de vuelo fuera de la atmósfera. Los SM-3 se lanzan desde buques dotados de sistemas MK 41 de lanzamiento vertical, y durante su trayectoria reciben desde el buque datos en tiempo real sobre la posición, velocidad, aceleración y trayectoria del objetivo, cuya destrucción se realiza por pura energía cinética (más de 130 megajulios, para ser más exactos). Algo así como interceptar una bala disparándole otra bala.

• Misiles interceptores SM-2 Block-IV (Standard Missile 2 Block IV) para interceptar los misiles balísticos en su fase de vuelo terminal; esto es, en su fase de vuelo descendente una vez dentro de la atmósfera. La destrucción se realiza gracias a que el misil lleva una cabeza explosiva, que estalla tras interceptar el objetivo, destruyéndolo.

David del Fresno Consultores

Asesoría en Impresión 3D y Manufactura Aditiva

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Raytheon to produce Antimissile Warheads

Five Warheads are being assembled and work on four others will begin soon.

This group of warheads will be followed by eight assembled in 2015 and nine in 2016, according to Missile Defense Agency data.

It’s the first tangible step in expanding the array of interceptors in Alaska and California intended to protect the U.S. if North Korea or Iran deploy intercontinental ballistic missiles.

ASRC wins MDA Contract

The Missile Defense Agency recently awarded ASRC Federal Analytical Services Inc. the Missile Defense Data Center contract to provide comprehensive test product data management services across MDA in support of the Ballistic Missile Defense System. "It is an honor and privilege to accept responsibility for helping operate this key national asset that supports the warfighter in defending our nation and our allies against the growing missile defense threat," said Paul Dillahay, ASRC Federal president and CEO.

The ASRC Federal ASI team will provide a wide range of data management services to MDA, including data center operations; support of test design, planning and products; and analysis infrastructure operations for the Ballistic Missile Defense System. Under the MDDC contract, ASRC Federal ASI will support development, sustainment and modernization operations of Ballistic Missile Defense System dedicated test data management and data analysis lab infrastructure; test data transfer network connections; and distributed operations systems and servers. (Read more)

APL Plays Key Role in Sophisticated Naval Ballistic Missile Defense Test

Engineers from the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Md., played an important role in the successful intercept of a separating ballistic missile target with the second-generation Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Weapon System and two SM-3 Block IB guided missiles.

The APL team led system-level performance analysis and evaluation for Flight Test – Standard Missile-21 (FTM-21). This operational test demonstrated the ability to fire a salvo of two SM-3 missiles to successfully engage an incoming ballistic missile target. The flight test was conducted by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and U.S. Navy Sailors aboard the USS Lake Erie (CG 70).

At 2:30 p.m. (HST) on Sept. 18, a ballistic missile target was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, on Kauai, Hawaii. Following the target launch, the USS Lake Erie detected and tracked the missile with its onboard AN/SPY-1 radar. The ship's Aegis BMD Weapon System developed a fire control solution and fired a salvo of two SM-3 Block IB guided missiles to engage the target. The SM-3s maneuvered to a point in space and released their kinetic warheads. The kinetic warhead of the first missile acquired the target reentry vehicle, diverted into its path, and — using only the force of a direct impact — destroyed the target.

FTM-21 was the fourth consecutive successful intercept test of the SM-3 Block IB guided missile with the second-generation Aegis BMD Weapon System and SM-3 Block IB guided missile. This flight test improves the Aegis BMD flight test record to 27 successful intercepts in 33 attempts.