Interceptor shield

SOURCE: Blackanthem
February 28, 2006

USS Hopper (DDG 70), an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer homeported at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, participated in the successful “Sky Hunter” Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) test event off the coast of southern California Feb. 15. Using a recent upgrade to its Aegis weapons system, Hopper was tasked with detecting and tracking a Minuteman III Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., during the boost and initial ballistic portions of flight, and providing cueing data to SPAWAR (Space and Naval Warfare) Space Systems Center (SSC) in San Diego and the Joint National Test Center in Colorado Springs for analysis.

To read full news story follow this Link

Interceptor Shield Report
Nathan J Hunt
February 28, 2006

The Australian Government today announced plans to acquire Lockheed Martins JASSM “Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Cruise Missile. To provide a long range strike capability in replacement of the Australian F-111 strike bomber aircraft that will soon be retired from service. The F-111 strike bomber has an operational range of 2,128 KM , the new missile has a range of 400km. The RAAF plan to use the new missile with the new strike fighter aircraft that they will be acquiring around 2013. In the mean time the missiles until the new air craft arrives will be outfitted onto F/A-18 Hornets to provide Australia with a long range deterrence in the three years between 2010 and 2013 when the new fighter aircraft will come into service.

Interceptor Shield Report
Nathan J Hunt
February 24, 2006

As previously reported on February 12 of the IS report, the MDA “Missile Defense Agency” was planning a test of the newly up-dated early warning radar at Beal Air Force Base later this month, Yesterday on February 23, 2006 the Missile Defense Agency announced it has successfully completed the test.
The test took place at 7:09 a.m. Alaska Standard Time (11:09 a.m. Eastern Standard Time) and involved the firing of a STARS (Strategic Target System) missile, the missile launched from the Kodiak Launch Complex on Kodiak Island, Alaska. The newly updated Radar at Beal Air Force Base then successfully tracked the missile. During the test a weapon task plan (firing Solution was successfully transmitted to the Joint National Integration Center in Colorado Springs. No interceptors where fired during the test, but did include a launch of a simulated interceptor from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Using data collected during previous interceptor launches.

Interceptor Shield Report
Nathan Hunt
February 22, 2006

Northrop Grumman on February 21, 2006 dedicated the opening of its newly constructed Missile Engineering Center. The event focused on the company’s history in the defense field and in the recruiting and nurturing of the next generation of future missile engineers. Present at the event where Northrop Grumman top officials including Frank Moore, Ben Overall and corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman Mission Systems Jerry B. Agee.

The new facility covers 85,000 sq. feet and has expansive research and demonstration laboratories for research, and an up to date communications network.

This new facility will serve as a vital proving ground for two of the companies key programs, first one being the upgrading of the ICBM Minuteman III missile force, and the Kinetic Energy Interceptor program for the missile defense program.

Interceptor Shield Report
Nathan J Hunt
February 16, 2006

Beta Analytics International, Inc a subsidiary of Analex Corporation (Amex: NLX) today was awarded $7.7M Missile defense contract by the missile defense agency. Beta under the contract Analytics International will provide security at missile defense agency facilities in Huntsville, Alabama services will include Security Operations, Access Control and Anti-Terrorism / Force Protection. Later Analytics International will expand to provide security at sites in seven other states.

The Chairman and CEO of Analex Sterling Phillips said in a press statement

“We are proud of being selected by the Missile Defense Agency to support their mission-critical programs in Huntsville,” “We look forward to continuing our commitment to providing exceptional service to the MDA.”

Analytics International has a long history in the security field and provides security to the Defense and civilian sector.

Interceptor shield Report
Nathan J Hunt
February 16, 2006

Imaging Notes has released photos of China’s nuke build up, the photograhs are of China’s Jianggzhuang submarine base in Shandong province.

The photos are highly detailed and show much of the bases facility and a underwater tunnel close to the facility thought to be the storage space for the Submarines 12 Jl-1 missiles, and a waterway heading to a underground maintenance area.

The photos first became public Friday in the winter publication Imaging Notes. In June of 2005 China did their first live fire test of their new Ju Lang-2 Sub launched SLBM and is working to put the new missile into full production for their sub force.

You can view all the images from the winter issue of Imaging Notes Here At This Link

Interceptor Shield Report
Nathan J Hunt
February 15, 2006

The US Air Force will be conducting an unarmed Minuteman III missile launch from the Vandenberg Air Force Base early Thursday. The test will occur between 12:01 A.M and 6:01 A.M, the missile will have a 30-minute flight time before striking a target at the Kwajalein Missile range in the western Marshall Islands.

Interceptor Shield Report
February 12, 2006

On Saturday news sites reported the Missile Defense Agency “MDA” is planning later this month to do a test of newly upgraded early warning radar installed at Beal Air Force Base. The Radar was originally installed during the cold war, but was recently upgraded for use in the nations current missile defense program. The test should take place sometime around the 20 or 23 of February later this month; the test will not involve interceptors but will instead test the effectiveness of the newly upgraded radar on tracking and sending data at a fast speed. The test will involve a dummy missile launched from the Alaska’s Kodiak Island.

SOURCE: Prnewswire
February 6, 2006

Press Release

TEWKSBURY, Mass., Feb. 6, 2006 /PRNewswire/ — A Raytheon-led team successfully launched an AIM-9X from a stationary, vertical platform last November. The missile successfully locked on after launch and hit its target in a test of its potential launch from a submarine. The test was conducted for the Naval Sea Systems Command at the U.S. Army’s McGregor Test Range in New Mexico Nov. 19, 2005. A successful test firing matures the technology that will provide the Navy with a new capability when the Joint Battlespace is near the coast at a fraction of the cost of developing a new weapon system. The new system is an existing launch capability married to a proven weapon fired from a submarine at periscope depth. “This is very exciting,” said Dan Smith, president of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. “In partnering with the Navy and Northrop Grumman, our team has been able to take an already proven off-the-shelf weapon, make software modifications, use existing launch technology, and give the combatant commander another option in the coastal Joint Battlespace. “The implications of this first phase test are far-reaching. It provides the Navy with a low-cost solution with a high-impact capability in its approach to littoral warfare without having to go through a costly and lengthy
R&D process.”

To read the full press release follow this Link

SOURCE: LOCKHEED MARTIN
February 6, 2006

Press Release

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] plans to build the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) II at its existing Pike County Operations facility in Troy, AL, if selected as contractor for the program. The final missile assembly will be in Troy, and seeker production will be at an existing facility in Ocala, FL.
“Affordability is an especially critical requirement on this program,” said Rick Edwards, vice president - Tactical Missiles, for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “Both Troy and Ocala are customer-focused, world-class production facilities with strong track records of reducing costs in missile production. The whole idea of APKWS is to provide a low-cost precision strike weapon against non-armored targets in urban conflicts where collateral damage must be minimized – in short, a ‘HELLFIRE® Junior.” The APKWS II is a 2.75-inch laser-guided rocket that will provide crews of the U.S. Army Apache and Marine Corps Cobra attack helicopters and other platforms with precision-strike capability against non-armored targets that do not require a 7-inch HELLFIRE missile – an option not presently available.

To read the full press release follow this Link

LOCKHEED MARTIN DELIVERS FIRST PAC-3 STOCKPILE RELIABILITY TEST MISSILES
February 2, 2006

To read the full press release follow this Link