MISSILE DEFENSE MONDAYS October 31st - November 6th, 2023 THE WEEK IN BRIEF On Tuesday, October 31st, an Israeli F-35I, known as the "Adir," achieved the first known air-to-air kill for the F-35 fighter type on October 31. It shot down a cruise missile believed to have been launched by the Houthi militia in Yemen. The Israeli air force detected the incoming missile from the southeast and scrambled F-35Is to intercept it successfully. This marks the first time the global F-35 fleet has been involved in an air-to-air mission, as previous missions focused on striking ground targets. The video footage of the intercept shows the cruise missile being destroyed by a proximity fuse triggered by a second object entering the frame. This incident highlights the evolving threat posed by cruise missiles, which differ from the relatively small, short-range, and unguided rockets launched by other groups in the region. On Tuesday, October 31st, the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Arrow 3, a ballistic missile interceptor successfully shot down a long-range ballistic missile over the Red Sea. This was the first combat usage of the Arrow 3 and is believed to be the first combat engagement to take place in space. While Israeli officials didn't confirm the source of the attack, the location and direction suggest it may have originated from Houthi-controlled Yemen. This achievement highlights Israel's advanced technology for defense against ballistic missiles at various ranges. The Arrow 3 was deployed by the Israel Defense Forces in 2017 to defend against long-range missile threats from Iran or its proxies. Israel has also agreed to export the Arrow 3 system to Germany. On Sunday, November 5th, The Russian military announced a successful test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile from a new nuclear submarine, the Imperator Alexander III. This missile, called Bulava, is designed to carry nuclear warheads. The test was conducted from an underwater position in Russia's northern White Sea and hit a target in the far-eastern region of Kamchatka. The Imperator Alexander III is part of the Borei-class nuclear submarines, each of which can carry 16 Bulava missiles. These submarines are intended to be a core naval component of Russia's nuclear forces in the future. This test launch is the final step in evaluating the vessel's capabilities, after which a decision will be made on its induction into the fleet. Currently, Russia has three Borei-class submarines in service, one undergoing testing, and three more under construction. This test occurs amid rising tensions between Russia and the West over the conflict in Ukraine, and Russia's recent decision to revoke its ratification of a global nuclear test ban. Click here to read all of this week's headlines. MDAA Alerts There is No Silver Bullet "In the weeks following the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas on Israeli citizens, numerous U.S. and Israeli cruise and ballistic missile defense systems have been called into action to defeat threat missiles..." Click here to read more. Our Nation's New Chief of Naval Operations " Admiral Lisa Franchetti, who started her career in the United States Navy over 38 years ago as a young commissioned officer from New York, took a tremendous historic step forward to lead our nation as the 33rd Chief of Naval Operations and the first Woman to Lead and Command..." Click here to read more. Our Partnership with the University of Arizona " In a landmark collaboration on October 19th, the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance and the University of Arizona have taken a significant step forward..." Click here to read more. MISSILE DEFENDER OF THE WEEK Lieutenant Alexander D. Abrashoff LT Abrashoff is a native of Denver, Colorado and commissioned in May of 2018 from the U.S. Naval Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Quantitative Economics. Upon commissioning, he reported to the USS DECATUR (DDG 73) where he assumed duties as a Gunnery Officer in August of 2018. While onboard DECATUR, he conducted an independent Ballistic Missile Defense deployment to the C5F and C7F AORs and subsequent surge deployment in support of Ballistic Missile Defense of Guam. LT Abrashoff reported back to DECATUR in April of 2021 for his second division officer tour as Fire Control Officer where he completed the training cycle of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan (OFRP) prior to deploying to the C7F AOR where DECATUR served as the Ballistic Missile Defense Commander for NIMITZ CARRIER STRIKE GROUP. LT Abrashoff is currently assigned to the staff of Commander, Destroyer Squadron 22 (COMDESRON 22) where he serves as the Scheduling Officer, directly responsible for managing seven DDG schedules in various phases of the OFRP. LT Abrashoff's personal awards include the Navy Commendation Medal (1 award), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (1 award), and various service awards Click here to view all the awardees from the 2023 Indo-Pacific Missile Defenders of the Year NEWS HEADLINES MISSILE DEFENSE NEWS US and Switzerland sign Patriot Advanced Capability 3 missile contract - Breaking Defense - 11/01/2023 Space Force takes over missile-warning ground stations previously run by the Army - Space News - 11/02/2023 Hungary receives first advanced NASAMS air defense weapon - Defence Blog - 11/03/2023 THREAT NEWS Taiwan detects 43 Chinese warplanes around island - Space War - 11/01/2023 North Korea likely sent missiles, ammunition and shells to Russia, Seoul says - ABC News - 11/02/2023 OTHER NEWS New NASAMS cooperative arrangement established between Norway, Raytheon and KONGSBERG - Norwegian Defence Ministry - 10/31/2023 US Air Force B-1B bombers spotted at Incirlik Air Base in Türkiye - Defence Blog - 11/01/2023 Stay Connected: MDAA | 515 King Street, Suite 330, Alexandria, VA 22314 Unsubscribe
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