MISSILE DEFENSE MONDAYS October 24th - October 30th, 2023 THE WEEK IN BRIEF On Tuesday, October 24th, additional details surrounding the Houthi missile attack of October 19th wherein the USS Carney intercepted multiple ballistic missiles and drones. It has since been reported that Saudi Arabia intercepted one of the cruise missiles fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels towards Israel, with the US having intercepted the other four. The US stated that the missiles were likely targeting Israel. While the US does not have explicit information that Iran ordered these attacks, it believes Iran bears responsibility due to the evident Iranian influence on these proxy groups, according to a senior Defense Department official. Saudi Arabia's Patriot Missile Defense system, used in the interception, is supplied by the US. On Wednesday, October 25th, the Missile Defense Agency announced that the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS CARL M. LEVIN successfully conducted an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) test, named Vigilant Wyvern, in collaboration with the U.S. Navy Program Executive Office Integrated Warfare Systems and the MDA. This test, conducted at the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii, showcased the ability of a ballistic missile defense-configured Aegis ship to detect, track, engage, and intercept two short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) targets. Simultaneously, it demonstrated an Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) engagement of two subsonic anti-ship cruise missile drone targets. The test, designated Flight Test Aegis Weapon System-48 (FTM-48) by the MDA, involved the engagement of two SRBM targets using two Standard Missile 3 Block IA (SM-3 Blk IA) interceptors and the engagement of two subsonic anti-ship cruise missile drone targets using four SM-2 Blk IIIA interceptors. This successful test marked a significant milestone and demonstrated the capability of Aegis ships to defend against an IAMD raid scenario. On Friday, October 27th, The Defense Post reported that Raytheon recently conducted a successful interoperability test with the US Army's Low, slow, small-unmanned aircraft Integrated Defense System (LIDS) during the Army's annual tactical demonstration. The test focused on evaluating Raytheon's Ku-band radio Frequency radar and the Coyote family of effectors in countering drone threats. This system offers both fixed and mobile configurations, making it adaptable for protecting stationary bases, sites, and temporary contingency locations. During the test, the radar effectively tracked a complex drone swarm of 30 systems, while the Coyote projectiles intercepted targets in both single-drone and swarm scenarios. This demonstrated their efficiency in reducing engagement timelines, and the test confirmed recent hardware and software enhancements to both the KuRFS and Coyote systems. The successful test underscored the effectiveness of these technologies, meeting all necessary requirements to neutralize high-speed targets. This achievement builds upon previous tests conducted in 2021 and 2022, further reinforcing the reliability and performance of counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) capabilities. Click here to read all of this week's headlines. MDAA Alerts 100th MD Brigade Anniversary "This unprecedented mission and brigade came after the 9/11 air attack on the United States that forced the United States of America to defend itself from Missiles. The 1972 ABM Treaty signed with the Soviet Union prevented..." Click here to read more. Dr. Neil Gilbert Siegel "We are honored to have one of our most prominent professors for our USC SHIELD program be recognized and honored by the President of the United States of America yesterday. President Biden awarded..." Click here to read more. Building Missile Defense Capability with Urgency " Good afternoon from Woodside, California, one of the centers of the world of innovation. It’s so remarkable today that last Friday, our President, Joe Biden, spoke, advocated, and led our nation for missile defense..."  Click here to read more. MISSILE DEFENDER OF THE WEEK Lieutenant Carl A. Link ​Lieutenant Carl Link, a native of Arnold, MD, graduated from the University of Maryland in 2016 with a B.A. in Criminology and Criminal Justice. He attained his commission in April 2018 through the Officer Candidate School program. Before reporting to Officer Candidate School, he was pursuing a career in law enforcement, and was a police officer with the Ocean City, MD police department in 2017. He served his first division officer tour aboard the USS STETHEM (DDG 63) as Electrical Officer, Main Propulsion Officer, and Administration Officer. While onboard patrols in the Seventh Fleet AOR. In July, 2019, LT Link executed a homeport shift to San Diego, where the STETHEM entered a year and a half long EDSRA. After completing the CSO pipeline at ATRC and ADOC, he reported to USS SHILOH (CG 67) in October 2021 as the Fire Control Officer. During his time onboard, he led the ship through the AEGIS Baseline upgrade to Baseline 5.4, and certification of AW and BMD Warfare areas during the SHILOH's Basic Phase. LT Link is the first person in his family to join the military. He has an older borther who is an engineer with the National Institute for Standards and Testing (NIST). His mom is a retired math professor, and his dad teachers mechanical engineering at the United States Naval Academy. In his free time, LT Link enjoys photography, hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities. His personal awards include the Navy Achievement Medal. Click here to view all the awardees from the 2023 Indo-Pacific Missile Defenders of the Year  NEWS HEADLINES MISSILE DEFENSE ADVOCACY ALLIANCE IN THE NEWS UA Engineering Establishes Partnership for Institute for Near Space Studies - University of Arizona - 10/27/2023 MISSILE DEFENSE NEWS US agrees to send two Iron Dome batteries to Israel - Defense News - 10/24/2023 Lithuania acquires AMRAAM missiles for its ground-based NASAMS systems - Breaking Defense - 10/24/2023 SM-6 Missile Fired From Littoral Combat Ship - The War Zone - 10/25/2023 THREAT NEWS Army Air Defense Units from 3 Bases Are Deploying to Middle East After 13 Drone Attacks - Military.com - 10/24/2023 Russia says it rehearsed 'massive' nuclear strike - BBC News - 10/26/2023 Chinese Jet Flies Within 10 Feet of U.S. Bomber, Pentagon Says - New York Time - 10/27/2023 OTHER NEWS Signal: misinformation rampant around Israel’s Iron Beam defence system - Airforce Technology - 10/24/2023 SDA gets OK to begin limited testing of data satellites Link 16 nodes - Breaking Defense - 10/26/2023 Stay Connected: MDAA | 515 King Street, Suite 330, Alexandria, VA 22314 Unsubscribe [email protected] Constant Contact Data Notice Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!