Interceptor shield

Interceptor Shield Report
Nathan J Hunt
June 24, 2007

On June 22, 2004 The Missile Defense Agency conducted a test of the sea based Aegis system. This test of the sea based system marked the first time an Aegis-BMD Destroyer was used in a missile defense test and also the first time an Aegis-BMD Destroyer intercepted an incoming threat. Up until now tests of the sea based Aegis missile defense system have taken place from CG-47 Ticonderoga class cruisers.

At 4:40 P.M. a medium range ballistic missile was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands, Kauai. Hawaii. The Crew of the USS Decatur’s Aegis Destroyer detected and began to track the ballistic missile, the crew was also aided in the tracking of the missile by the ground based THAAD system, four minutes later the crew of the USS Decatur’s fired a single SM-3 “Standard Missile-3” and about two minutes later the SM-3 Slammed into the separating warhead of the incoming threat missile outside the earths atmosphere destroying the warhead.

This test also marked the first time that Spain has taken an active part in a missile defense test, the Spanish frigate, MENDEZ NUNEZ took part in the test performing long range monitoring.

News Source
Missile Defense Agency

Interceptor Shield Report
Nathan J Hunt
June 19, 2007

On June the 18th Lockheed Martin released a press statement that the government of France has selected to acquire the Hellfire II missile system that is produced by its corporation for their fleet of 40 HAD Tiger Eurocopters that France is currently deploying.

Work has begun on modifying a HAD Tiger Helicopter at the European Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation facility in Marignane, France They are working alongside Lockheed Martin in preparing the HAD Tiger for testing with the new Missiles. Work should be completed before winter with ground tests of the missile planned in October of this year and an air test in March of 2008.

The AGM-114 HellFire Missile has proven to be extensively versatile, AGM-114 armed UAV Predator drones are used by the United States in the war on terror, an effective combination that has seen success in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
A fact that leads to the speculation, France could possibly chose to use some of the planned to be acquired AGM-114 missiles to build their own armed UAV fleet.

News Source:
LockHeedMartin

Ofeq-7 Satellite launched
Interceptor Shield Report
Nathan J Hunt
June 12, 2007

Yesterday morning June 11, 2007 Israel launched their brand new Ofeq-7 Spy satellite. The Ofeq-7 is equipped with high resolution imaging ability to take crystal clear close range images. This Satellite joins Ofeq-5 that was launched back in 2002. The Ofeq-7 was launched last morning from a three-stage solid-fuel satellite launch vehicle.

With the increase of small size rocket attacks on Israel and the continuing raising of tensions between Iran. This new Satellite will provide Israel with the ability to task one satellite to monitor Iran that has an arsenal of missiles with ranges that can reach Israel, and the other satellite to monitor areas closer to home. Or task both Satellites to monitor for guerillas setting up rocket emplacements in Lebanon.

In any area of air defense Intel is an important factor, if one knows where an attack will be originating from one can better prepare and cover that area to intercept incoming threats or take them out before they can become one.

For More information
WorldTribune
Haaretz

Interceptor Shield Report
Nathan J Hunt
June 4, 2007

On May 21 at a ceremony at the Navantia shipyard in Ferrol, Spain the Norwegian frigate Roald Amundsen was handed over to Norwegian naval personal. The Roald Amundsen is the latest ship to be completed in Norway’s five-ship program. The Roald Amundsen frigate is setup with the Lockheed Martin’s SPY-1F radar system and can support the MK-41 Vertical Launch system that can take Evolved Sea Sparrow Missiles “ESSM” or Standard Missile 2 “SM-2” with slight modifications.

These Ships once all completed and sea tested may when NATO “North Atlantic Treaty Organisation” moves into the fielding stage of it’s own Missile Defense Shield these ships could be used to form a part of NATO’s sea based program.