MISSILE DEFENSE MONDAYS May 19 - May 25, 2020 THE WEEK IN BRIEF Click Here to Watch The Missile Defense Mondays Video On Tuesday, it was reported Northrop Grunman received a $2.37 billion contract to develop two of the future Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) satellites. The Next-Gen OPIR constellation will have five total satellites in geosynchronous and polar orbits to provide initial warning of ballistic missile launches. The U.S. Space expects to start launching geosynchronous satellites in 2025 and polar satellites in 2027, and the remaining deployed by 2029. On Wednesday, Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, Dr. Michael Griffin, said at a virtual event the DOD is “not investing in airborne platforms for shooting down adversary missiles,” with directed energy. Dr. Griffin said instead satellite-mounted lasers could eventually prove useful for missile defense, but the support requirements were too significant for systems affixed on aircraft within the atmosphere. Also on Wednesday, it was reported space stakeholders in the DOD are moving forward with a new plan for missile defense, warning, and tracking after the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) approved the bulk of the blueprint several weeks ago. General Jay Raymond, Chief of Space Operations for the Space Force, suggested the new approach will be better coordinated and cheaper than the current architecture. On Sunday, it was reported Kim Jong-un held a meeting of the Central Military Commission of the Ruling Worker’s Party to discuss new policies to increase nuclear war deterrence of the country. This included putting North Korea’s ‘strategic armed forces on high alert operation’ and measures to ‘considerably increase the firepower strike ability of artillery pieces.’ Click here to read all of the headlines from the week. MDAA WEBSITE UPDATES AND FEATURES Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) The Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) is designed to support the defense and intelligence communities and provide global surveillance capabilities in four key mission areas: missile defense, missile warning, technical intelligence...  Learn more about SBIRS. United Kingdom The United Kingdom is one of the nine countries possessing nuclear weapons. It is a very stable partner and supporter of U.S. security and is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. Britain is a member of the Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance with the US. Learn more about the United Kingdom's missile defenses. Iron Dome (Israel) 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. MISSILE DEFENDER OF THE WEEK 2019 Guam Missile Defenders of the Year 1LT Cole Davis 1LT April Dilidili CW3 Daniel Castro CW2 Eric Baker SFC Daniel Beck SSG Gary Kearns SGT John Rigsbee SPC Jared Glenzer SPC Rafael Estrada PFC Cruz Martinez Click here to learn more about the 2019 Guam Missile Defender of the Year. NEWS MISSILE DEFENSE NEWS Destroyer USS Roosevelt brings upgraded missile defense to Rota – 5/19/20 – Stars and Stripes Northrop Grunman gets $2.3 billion Space Force contract to develop missile-warning satellites – 5/19/20 – Space News PEO M&S Pursues Modernization Undeterred by Pandemic – 5/20/20 – U.S. Army Key lawmaker urges Iron Dome deployment to Mideast – 5/20/20 – Defense News Army Awards Lockheed $497M for Missile Post-Production Service Extension – 5/20/20 – Govconwire US Navy issues new distance guidelines for vessels after close encounters with Iranian ships – 5/20/20 – Navy Times DOD’s Top Scientist Shoots Down Airborne Lasers for Missile Defense – 5/21/20 – Defense One Space Leaders Plan for Missile Defense, Daily Ops – 5/21/20 – Air Force Magazine These eight satellites will track hypersonic weapons – 5/21/20 – C4ISR.NET Space Force lays out acquisitions reforms in new report – 5/22/20 – C4ISR.NET Lockheed Martin gains Aegis Ashore contract modification – 5/22/20 – Shepard News Raytheon contracted for National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System – 5/22/20 – Defence Blog THREAT NEWS Why North Korea-US relations will remain stable unless Kim really needs coronavirus aid – 5/19/20 - Brookings OTHER NEWS No Shipbuilding Plan, But Navy Works on New Ships to Counter China – 5/20/20 – Breaking Defense Don’t Use COVID as Excuse to Slash Defense Spending – 5/20/20 – Breaking Defense The Pentagon Tries to Pivot out of the Middle East – Again – 5/20/20 – Foreign Policy 263rd Army Air and Missile Defense Command conducts after action review for COVID-19 response efforts – 5/21/20 – DVIDS JUST IN: Pentagon Fleshing Out New Space Advisory Committee – 5/21/20 – National Defense Magazine Army Breaches For Post-COVID Cuts: Gen. Murray – 5/21/20 – Breaking Defense ‘Major Milestone’ As Allies Join SPACECOM’s War Plan – 5/22/20 – Breaking Defense New nuclear talks begin between US, Russia – 5/22/20 – Defense News 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!