MISSILE DEFENSE MONDAYS January 28 - February 3, 2020 THE WEEK IN BRIEF Click Here to Watch The Missile Defense Mondays Video On Monday, it was reported satellite imagery suggested Iran is making repairs to the Imam Khomeini Spaceport and is preparing for a new space launch attempt. An Iranian official later confirmed that Iran is preparing to launch the Zafar satellite with the Simorgh space launch vehicle. The expected launch window is February 1-11. The official said Iran has plans to put five more satellites in orbit after the Zafar. On Wednesday, it was reported that Saudi Arabia had intercepted missiles launched by the Houthis in Yemen targeting the Aramco oil facilities the previous week. The Houthis claimed they launched 26 rocket attacks that targeted Aramco facilities in Abha and Jazan, the Khamis Mushait military base, and airports in Saudi Arabia. On Thursday, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper stated the U.S. is working to get permission from the Iraqi government to deploy Patriot missile defense systems to provide defense for U.S. troops in the country. Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley, stated there were also logistical issues still to work out for the deployment. On Friday, the joint command post exercise Keen Edge 2020 came to a close. The exercise tested the U.S. Army’s 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade’s ability to integrate and be interoperable with units from Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Forces Japan, as well as with Japanese forces. Over the weekend, projectiles were launched from the Gaza strip into Israel for the fourth day in a row. The projectiles over the four days have included both rockets and mortar shells. Israel said Iron Dome had intercepted two projectiles on Friday while other projectiles landed in uninhabited areas. Click here to read all of the headlines from the week. MDAA ALERTS House Rules The House Armed Services Committee (HASC), chaired by Congressman Adam Smith – Representative from Washington’s 9th District, held a hearing today on a “Security Update on the Korean Peninsula,” with witnesses Honorable John Rood, Under Secretary of Defense... Click here to read more. MDAA WEBSITE UPDATES AND FEATURES Iron Dome Israel’s current short-range anti-rocket, artillery and mortars system – Iron Dome – was independently developed by Israeli companies Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and IAI, before Raytheon joined the development process for the Tamir interceptor missiles in 2014, a condition... Learn more about Iron Dome. Rocket and Mortar Basics A mortar is a a short, smoothbore gun for firing shells (technically called bombs) at high angles. Mortars can be dismounted or mounted onto a vehicle. Dismounted mortars consist of a tube, a bipod, a baseplate, and a sight. Each mortar... Learn more about rocket and mortar basics. Japan Japanese involvement in missile defense dates back to the deployment of the Nike-J missile, a conventionally tipped version of the Hercules missile, which was the result of a Memorandum of Understanding that was finalized in 1967. Learn more about Japan's missile defense. MISSILE DEFENDER OF THE WEEK Technical Sergeant Jeremiah Grenfell TSgt Grenfell is the Missile and Space Domain Non-Commissioned Officer at North American Aerospace Defense Command and United States Northern Command (NORAD and USNORTHCOM), Peterson AFB, Colorado. As Delta Crew assistant flight chief, he monitors education and training of Delta crew’s enlisted force. While on shift, he characterizes missile events in support of Commander, NORAD and USNORTHCOM missile attack assessments. He has processed more than 150 missile events, providing flawless missile threat data to national leaders and mission partners. Additionally, he monitors the system integrity of the $1.8B strategic and theater missile warning systems, assuring continuous warning coverage and notification to national and military senior leaders. TSgt Grenfell holds three Associates of Science Degrees, two from the Community College of the Air Force in Aviation Maintenance Technology and Air/Space Operations Technology and one from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Aviation Maintenance. He first enlisted as a crew chief for fighter aircraft where he completed multiple assignments covering South Korea, Utah, England, and a deployment to Afghanistan. He then cross-trained into missile and space operations where he has held multiple assignments as a crew chief conducting missile warning and battlespace awareness operations/systems. He is married to Amy Grenfell and has two children, a daughter, Savannah (12) and son, Brett (7). Click here to view the nominees and winners from the 2019 NORAD & USNORTHCOM Missile Warning and Defender of the Year. NEWS MISSILE DEFENSE NEWS Pentagon Seeks a Way to Shoot Down Putin’s ‘Invincible’ Hypersonic Missiles - 1/29/2020 - Defense One 5/5 ADA mentors Kentucky soldiers on C-RAM - 1/29/2020 - The Lawton Constitution Raytheon Nabs Contract For Missile Warning Ground System - 1/29/2020 - Breaking Defense US Expands Its Presence at Saudi Base - 1/30/2020 - Newsmax Keen Edge 2020 tests 38th ADA Brigade’s ability to ‘Fight Tonight’ - 1/31/2020 - DVIDS The drive to advance missile defense is there, but there must be funding - 1/31/2020 - Defense News US seeking Iraq’s permission for missile defenses to protect troops - 1/31/2020 - The Hill Saudi Air Defenses Thwarted Attack on Aramco - 1/31/2020 - The Wall Street Journal Tucson to Be Home to New Raytheon Missiles/defense Unit - 2/03/2020 - USNews THREAT NEWS Imagery Suggests Iran Is Preparing To Try To Launch A Satellite - 1/28/2020 - NPR Report: Russia delivers S-400 missile system to China - 1/29/2020 - UPI Recent Imagery Does Not Suggest an Imminent Missile or Engine Test - 1/29/2020 - 38 North U.S. ready to respond to possible “late Christmas gift” from North Korea: DOD - 1/31/2020 - NK News Japanese MoD increasingly concerned about North Korea’s growing military capabilities - 1/31/2020 - Janes Defence Weekly OTHER NEWS Japan delays intelligence-gathering satellite launch due to glitch - 1/28/2020 - Japan Today ‘Five Eyes’ Countries Eye Expanded Cooperation Amid North Korea Challenges - 1/28/2020 - The Diplomat Lockheed Martin experiments with a mesh network in space - 1/28/2020 - C4ISR Net US must revamp post-WWII order in Indo-Pacific to curb China ambitions, report says - 1/29/2020 - Stars and Stripes South Korea Relies on Thales’ Systems to Avoid Friendly Fire Incidents - 2/03/2020 - Business Wire Stay Connected: ‌ ‌ ‌ 515 King Street, Suite 330, Alexandria, VA 22314 Unsubscribe [email protected] About Constant Contact Sent by [email protected] in collaboration with Try email marketing for free today!