MISSILE DEFENSE MONDAYS March 10 - March 16, 2020 THE WEEK IN BRIEF Click Here to Watch The Missile Defense Mondays Video On Tuesday, it was reported the U.S. Army plans to conduct a shoot-off to determine the best options for the future indirect fires protection capability (IFPC). The new IFPC is expected to defend against rockets, artillery, mortars, and cruise missiles. The shoot-off is planned to take place at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico in the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2021. The Army then plans to deliver the initial capabilities by Fiscal Year 2023. Also on Tuesday, Lockheed Martin announced it will begin testing the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) at Clear Air Force Station, Alaska this spring. Workers at the site have started installing 10 large sensors, or “panels” to the LRDR’s main structure, and 10 more are on their way to Alaska. Together, the 20 panels will be able to detect and track incoming enemy ballistic missiles much more accurately than the existing radar systems. LRDR is expected to be operational by the end of the year. On Wednesday, a source in Russia’s military industry told Russian media that the 3M22 Zircon hypersonic missile will undergo testing from the K-560 Severodvinsk submarine. Although an exact date wasn’t specified, it is known that the testing will take place from an underwater firing position. The Zircon is believed to have a flight range of over 1,000 km and is expected to be based aboard both surface ships and submarines, including vessels equipped to carry existing Kalibr-class cruise missiles. Also this week, an Iranian backed Shia militia group in Iraq launched Katyusha rockets at the Taji Air Base on two separate occasions. The first attacked occurred on Wednesday night, when 30 rockets were launched from the back of a modified truck. Two American soldiers and a British soldier were killed and 14 other service members were injured during the attack. The second attack occurred on Saturday when another 25 rockets were launched at the base, which injured five coalition troops. Click here to read all of the headlines from the week. MDAA ALERTS Immediate Imperative The United States Army, overseen by civilian control by the Secretary of the Army, Ryan McCarthy, and in partnership with the Chief of Staff of the Army, General James C. McConville, presented to Congress last week their Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 budget request for the Army. Click here to read more. Early Warning is Not Enough On Wednesday, two Americans and a British troop were killed and 14 others were injured when 30 Katyusha rockets were launched by Iranian backed Shia militias at the Taji Air Base in Iraq.  Click here to read more. MDAA WEBSITE UPDATES AND FEATURES Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) The Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) / Indirect Fire Protection Capability (IFPC) system was developed early during Operation Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom in order to protect ground forces and forward operating bases from the...  Learn more about C-RAM. 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. Learn more about rocket and mortar basics. SMART-L Radar (The Netherlands and Others) Designed for surface ships, the Signal Multi-Beam Acquisition Radar for Targeting, or SMART-L, is a 3D surveillance radar that provides long-range surveillance and tracking against conventional aircraft and medium-range... Learn more about the SMART-L radar. MISSILE DEFENDER OF THE WEEK Mr. Steven Moritz Mr. Moritz is the Space Operations Analyst for Standards, Training, and Evaluation Division at North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command (NORAD and USNORTHCOM) Command Center (N2C2), NORAD and USNORTHCOM, Peterson AFB, Colorado. He is responsible for developing and standardizing tactics, techniques, and procedures for the N2C2 to assess and characterize missile launches worldwide for the President, Prime Minister, Secretary of Defense, Minister of National Defence, Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Combatant Commanders, and other national and civil agencies. When on shift in the N2C2 as a Missile and Space Domain Chief, Mr. Moritz leads a domain that characterizes missile events in support of Commander, NORAD and USNORTHCOM missile attack assessments. 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. Mr. Moritz served in the U.S. Air Force for over 20 years. He was commissioned into the Air Force in 1997 as a graduate of the University of Illinois where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering. Additionally, he has earned a Master of Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University as well as a Master of Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College. He has served as a Command Pilot in the F-15C, AT-38, and MQ-9 and was selected for a career broadening assignment as an Olmsted Scholar to Mexico. Mr. Moritz’s final active duty assignment was to NORAD and USNORTHCOM where he held multiple positions in the missile warning field including Missile and Space Domain Chief, Lead Missile and Space Qualification Instructor, and Deputy Division Chief for Standards, Training, and Evaluations. Click here to view the nominees and winners from the 2019 NORAD & USNORTHCOM Missile Warning and Defender of the Year. NEWS MISSILE DEFENSE NEWS Army to conduct shoot-off for future indirect fires protection – 3/10/2020 – Defense News US Army awards $551m Raytheon contract for Patriot system for Bahrain – 3/10/2020 – Army Technology Lockheed Martin Wins Contract Modification for Japan Aegis Ashore Batteries – 3/10/2020 – The Diplomat CENTCOM general: US is moving air and missile defense weapons into Iraq – 3/11/2020 – Stars and Stripes Air, Space Force Leaders Near Missile Warning Plan – 3/11/2020 – Breaking Defense Hill: NGI Has Flexibility in Development Cycle, Replaces Whole Interceptor – 3/11/2020 – Defense Daily Advanced Missile-Defense Radar Facility at Clear Air Force Station Nears Completion – 3/11/2020 – KUAC MDA, Army Withholding Pay as Aegis Ashore Poland Construction Still Drags – 3/13/2020 – USNI News HASC Grills MDA Chief on ’21 Budget, Space-Based Sensors – 3/13/2020 – Breaking Defense THREAT NEWS Space no longer ‘benign’ due to growing threats – 3/10/2020 – Santa Maria Times Russia’s Zircon Hypersonic Missile to be Test-Launched From Underwater – Reports – 3/11/2020 – Sputnik Attack that killed 2 U.S. troops was ‘likely’ Iran-backed militia group, top general says – 3/12/2020 – Politico North Korea may be ready with “even more capable” ICBM: Pentagon Official – 3/13/2020 – NK News Iraq officials: Rocket attack hits base housing US troops - 3/16/2020 - Associated Press 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!