MissileThreat.com

Minuteman Missile Test

A Minuteman III missile was successfully tested today from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The missile’s warhead traveled toward and hit its target at the missile range in the Kwajalein Atoll. This test was specifically to demonstrate the integration of a Safety Enhanced Re-entry Vehicle into the existing Minuteman III weapons system. The newer warhead is such as that used for the newer Peacekeeper missiles which are now being deactivated. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Testing - American

» Missile details: Minuteman I

» Missile system details for: Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Defense Test Site (RTS), Vandenberg Air Force Base

Russian Defense Air Defense Spending to Double in 2006

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has said that spending on air defense and the Air Force will double in 2006 as compared to 2005, because “the government is giving priority to this area of the military.”
        Russia’s 2006 budget will allocate 668.3 billion rubles ($24 billion) for overall national defense, a nearly 22 percent increase over defense spending this year. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses

Russia Tests SS-N-23

Russia successfully test launched an SS-N-23 (Skiff, RSM-54) intercontinental ballistic missile from the northern Barents Sea. The Yekaterinburg submarine launched the missile from a submerged position, and the missile then traveled some 8,000 km toward its target at the Kura test range on the eastern Kamchatka peninsula. Vladimir Putin observed the firing of the missile and the Northern Fleet’s other military exercises from another ship, Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great).
        The Novomoskovsk nuclear submarine failed to fire an SS-N-23 missile after two attempts in 2004, notes Xinhua. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russia, Testing - Foreign

» Missile details: SS-X-14

Pakistan Tests “Babur” Cruise Missile

Pakistan tested its first nuclear-capable, ground-launched cruise missile today, and did so without informing India in advance. The cruise missile is called the Hatf VII “Babur,” and is said to have a range of 500 km (310 miles), according to spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan.
        The prior notification agreement reached last week applied only to ballistic missiles: “We don’t have to inform neighboring countries in this case. It is not a ballistic missile and it doesn’t fall under the agreement,” said Sultan. (“Hatf” is, however, used to designate a number of Pakistani ballistic missiles.)
        The Babur was described by the military as terrain-hugging, capable of avoiding radar detection, “pinpoint accuracy,” and is said capable of being launched from ships, submarines, and aircraft. “By conducting the successful test, Pakistan has joined a select group of countries which have the capability to design and develop cruise missiles,” the military said in a statement. President Musharraf called the launch a “major milestone.” “It is a gift of the scientists on the birthday of President Musharraf and the Independence Day,” state media quoted Information Minister Sheikh Rashid as saying about the test.  (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Cruise Missiles, Pakistan, Testing - Foreign

Russia Plans 20 Strategic Missile Tests In Next Two Years

Russia’s Strategic Missile Troops Commander Colonel General Nikolay Solovtsov declared that Russia will launch 10 missiles in each of the years 2005 and 2006, reports RIA Novosti. “The number of strategic missile launches in 2005 will be the same as last year—10 launches—and the next one will be from Baykonur space centre on 23/24 August. …In 2006 the number of training and combat launches will remain the same as this year.” Solovtsov’s count of the number of launches in 2004, however, applies only to land-based ICBMs. There were also five submarine launched SLBMs launched in 2004. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russia

First Phase of SBX Trials Over

The Missile Defense Agency reports that the first phase of trials for the Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX) has been completed. The SBX-1 completed 12 days of at-sea testing and returned to Kiewit Offshore Services in Corpus Christi, Texas, on July 21, 2005. The press release notes that “Hurricane Emily’s arrival in the Gulf allowed the crew and shore support team to exercise weather avoidance plans and extended the mission by two days.” When tests are completed, the SBX will be moved to the Northern Pacific, and will be based out of Adak, Alaska. (Article, Link) 

» Missile system details for: Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX)

Orbital Test Launches Missile Target

The Orbital corporation today announced the successful launch of a medium-range target missile as part of a series of tests useful for the development of missile defenses, namely the Missile Defense Agency’s Critical Measurements and Countermeasures Program, Campaign 1 (CMCM-1). Orbital tested the medium-range Castor IVB(R) target vehicle from the Kauai Test Facility at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on August 4.
        That the target missile is medium range suggests it might be of the sort used for tests of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program, as opposed to the long range GMD interceptors based in Alaska and California. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Testing - American

Baluyevsky on U.S.-Russian BMD Cooperation

The head of the Russian armed forces’ General Staff, General Yuriy Baluyevsky, recently addressed the subject of Russian-U.S. cooperation in strategic missile defense to an audience of journalists, during his visit to the United States. Missile defense discussions were said to be one of the important reasons for his visit, according to Itar Tass. Buluyevsky said that such cooperation is possible but laid out certain conditions.

So far Russian-American cooperation in the field of missile defense has been confined mainly to the fight against [shorter-range] tactical missiles. But we understand now that the U.S. has seceded from the ABM Treaty, the question of non-strategic missile defense is no longer as acute as it used to be. Our approach towards cooperation in the field of missile defence is on the whole quite simple: it must be based not on the ‘your ideas, our money’ principle, but on the ‘joint ideas, joint money, joint results’ principle.

        “All these problems can be solved,” he added. But the United States should approach with care the subject of cooperation with Russia on “strategic missile defense,” a euphemism for defenses against advanced long-range ICBMs and SLBMs such as the sort maintained by Russia and China, our strategic competitors. Russia long opposed the United States’ pursuit of ballistic missile defenses for the very reason that it would negate their offensive nuclear missile forces. The agreements signed in 1997 by the Clinton administration which allowed for very limited missile defenses against “theater”—i.e., short range missiles—were an accommodation to a growing missile threat which was far short of permitting more substantial missile defenses. Full withdrawal from the ABM Treaty was necessary for that. Unfortunately, the United States has not yet ambitiously enough pursued the very opportunities permitted by that withdrawal. But the United States should not expect that cooperation with Russia on missile defense will change Russia’s opposition to the negation of its offensive nuclear forces. The Russian “solution” to various problems may therefore not be the solution which will provide the United States with a strategic defense. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Russia, Russian Missile Defenses

India and Pakistan Reach Missile Launch, Hotline Agreement

India and Pakistan have, after much talks and negotiations, reached an accord by which the two countries will notify each other in advance of ballistic missile flight tests. They also agreed to establish a hotline between the two countries. The agreement formalizes an informal arrangement, however, which has existed since 1999. The agreement is a form of arms control, designed to lessen tensions and surprise which might be sparked by such tests. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: India, Pakistan

China to Develop 150km-range Missiles with Indonesia

Indonesia’s Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono announced in Jakarta that Indonesia and China would work together to develop 150-km range missiles and rockets as part of a strategic partnership, reports the Indonesian Antara news agency. This transfer of missile technology was a part of cooperation agreements signed between the two countries in April, he said. A range of 150 km is relatively modest; such was the range of missiles in excess of which Iraq was (nominally) prohibited by the United Nations. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: China, Proliferation

Peacekeeper Missile’s Last Month

The last remaining U.S. Peacekeeper missiles, more popularly known as the MX missile, will be decommissioned entirely by mid-September. A Peacekeeper missile was last tested in July 2004. (Link) 

» Missile details: Peacekeeper

Solovtsov Gives Overview of Russia’s Strategic Nuclear Forces

Colonel General Nikolai Solovtsov, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces (RVSN), has laid out the military’s view of the overall role of the Missile Forces.
        According to the Russian Interfax news agency, Solovtsov emphasized the Missile Forces’ purpose as a strategic deterrent, and the military’s confidence that they serve this role. The Missile Forces rely upon “an adaptive principle” of modernization, upgrading combat equipment, and building new and cutting-edge missile systems, which will continue to consist of both “stationary missile systems, or silos, boasting a high combat preparedness for immediate action, and highly-survivable mobile systems.” (More »»») 

» More stories on: Russia

» Missile details: SS-19 Mod 2, SS-20, SS-21 B, SS-N-6

Obering Outlines Testing Schedule

Lt. Gen. Henry Obering, head of the Missile Defense Agency, recently revealed the Pentagon’s test schedule for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system. As reported by the July 25 edition of Inside the Army, MDA will conduct four flight tests between September 2005 and September 2006, examining the interceptor, the exoatmospheric kill vehicle, and the radar system. If successful, MDA will attempt a target intercept in late 2006. The next flight test scheduled for September 2005 will be from the Kwajalein Atoll, and the next three from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. (Link) 

Russia Test Fires Cruise Missiles

As part of planned tests, two Tu-160 “White Swan” strategic bombers “fired one cruise missile which successfully destroyed its target on the northern range at Pemboy (Vorkuta), reports Itar-Tas, citing Aleksandr Drobyshevskiy, head of the Russian Air Force press service. The aircraft took off together from Engels airfield in the Saratov region and flew for eight hours, covering over 8,000 km. The type of cruise missile fired was not given. (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Cruise Missiles, Russia

Lockheed Looking at Ship-Launched Threat

Defense Daily reports today that Lockheed has begun to analyze the threat of a short range ballistic or cruise missile attack from the sea. Dave Kier, Lockheed Martin vice president is cited as saying on June 28 that the study, conducted by the company’s own funds, had “worked out a comprehensive architecture that would use existing missile-defense assets, company- developed and otherwise that could be used in a defensive system.” Defense Daily also notes that the House added $20 million to the Missile Defense Agency’s FY ‘06 budget to assess this sort of ship-launched threat and potential response. A study by the MDA could, according to Defense Daily, prompt the MDA to “examine its missile-defense toolbox, which includes Patriot, Standard Missile-3, existing radars, Aegis ships and other platforms and payloads that could take on the asymmetric ballistic and cruise threat against the United States.” (Link) 

» More stories on: Ship-Launched Threat

Sea Based X-Band Radar Dedicated; Enroute to Alaska

The massive X-band radar mounted onto one of the world’s largest oil-rigs has now been dedicated, with a formal announcement today by Air Force Lt. General Trey Obering, head of the Missile Defense Agency Director, at a ceremony today at Kiewit Offshore Services at Corpus Christi, Texas.

An excerpt from the MDA press release:

The Sea-Based X-Band Radar is a unique combination of an advanced X-Band radar mounted aboard an ocean-going, semi-submersible platform that provides the Ballistic Missile Defense System with a missile tracking and discrimination capability that can be positioned to cover any part of the globe to support both missile defense operations and testing. The platform is twin-hulled, self-propelled and very stable in rough seas and turbulent sea conditions. Its ocean-spanning mobility allows the radar to be repositioned as needed to support the various test scenarios envisioned for the Ballistic Missile Defense System or to provide radar coverage of possible threat missile launches from anywhere in the world.

The Sea-Based X-Band Radar is 240 feet wide and 390 feet long. It towers more than 280 feet from its keel to the top of the radome and displaces nearly 50,000 tons. Larger than a football field, the main deck houses living quarters, workspaces, storage, power generation, a bridge and control rooms while providing the floor space and infrastructure necessary to support the radar antenna array, command, control and communications suites and an in-flight interceptor communication system data terminal.

The Sea-Based X-Band Radar recently returned from preliminary sea trials, and preparations are underway for further tests and the transit of the vessel later this year to its homeport of Adak, Alaska.

 (Article, Link) 

» More stories on: Sea-Based Systems

» Missile system details for: Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX)

ABL Completes “Passive Testing” Phase

The Airborne Laser has completed an eight-month series of flight tests and performance demonstrates, called initial “passive testing,” announced the Missile Defense Agency today. The YAL-1A aircraft, a specially configured Boeing 747, will now head to a facility in Wichita, Kansas facility for final modification prior to installation of the advanced high-power Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser (COIL).
        Colonel John Daniels, the ABL System Program Director, commented that, “It is truly amazing how much we’ve been able to accomplish in the past eight months. We have a long way to go, but we’ve made incredible progress so far.” In Wichita the aircraft will enter a new phase of testing to demonstrate ability to detect and track targets.
        As the MDA news release notes, “The ABL will be the first combat aircraft relying entirely upon a directed energy device as a weapon.” (Article, Link) 

» Missile system details for: Airborne Laser (ABL)