MISSILE DEFENSE MONDAYS August 4 - August 10, 2020 THE WEEK IN BRIEF Click Here to Watch The Missile Defense Mondays Video On Tuesday, Lockheed Martin said it would compete for the Missile Defense Agency's Next-Generation Interceptor contract. Boeing and a Raytheon-Northrop Grumman team have already announced their intention to compete to develop the new interceptor meant to protect the homeland from Iranian and North Korean ICBM threats. Also on Tuesday, Raytheon and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems announced they formed a joint venture to build the Iron Dome missile defense system in the United States. The partnership will build a new facility which will build Iron Dome systems, the Tamir interceptor, and the SkyHunter missile. The Iron Dome systems will be delivered to the U.S. Army, filling a cruise missile defense capability gap while its Indirect Fires Protection Capability (IFPC) program remains in development. Also on Tuesday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans, and Capabilities, Mr. Victorino Mercado said that North Korea was continuing to work aggressively to develop long-range nuclear missiles capable of threatening the U.S. mainland. Mercado also noted that Iran possesses well over 1,000 missiles and continues to modernize and proliferate its missile systems, which it also uses "as a valuable tool of coercion in the broader Middle East region". On Wednesday, the Department of Defense highlighted Navy Vice Admiral Jon A. Hill's remarks on the growing threat of advanced cruise missiles and hypersonic weapons. Hill spoke to the need of space-based sensors to defend against these threats and stated that the Missile Defense Agency would suffer only minor delays in the delivery of systems due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday, it was reported that the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) was nearing its planned FTM-44 flight test, which would simulate a defense of Hawaii using an Arleigh Burke destroyed and a Standard Missile-3 Block IIA, to prove the ship can provide missile defense if ground-based homeland defense systems failed. The USS John Finn (DDG-113) will conduct the test, which will happen by the end of the year. On Friday, the release of the Japanese government's "Missile Defense Study Team" report showed the report's recommendations focused on strengthening Integrated Air and Missile Defense and improving deterrence in the U.S-Japan alliance as a whole. The report included a push to acquire the ability to attack an adversary's missile launching capabilities and facilities, which would be a controversial step in pacifist Japan. Click here to read all of the headlines from the week. MDAA ALERTS Great Leadership to Great Leadership ​”.. We ride for the brand. A more perfect Union as we defend this great experiment called democracy.” General David Goldfein, August 6, 2020, Andrews Air Force Base. In Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, this morning the Flag of the Chief... Click here to read more. We Must Look at the Strategic Environment As It Is “Russia, for example, has been modernizing its strategic forces for almost 20 years and is about 70% complete. They’re modernizing their triad of intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear missile submarines and long range... Click here to read more. MDAA WEBSITE UPDATES AND FEATURES Aegis Afloat Aegis Afloat is the sea-based component of the Missile Defense Agency’s Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS). Aegis BMD builds upon the Aegis Weapon System, Standard Missile, and Navy and joint forces’ Command, Control and Communication systems... Learn more about Aegis Afloat. Israel Israel is a very close ally for the United States and this position enables Israel to share some of the most advanced U.S. technologies. Geopolitics of the Middle East region and very hostile neighbors (technically Israel has been at war with Syria for decades)... Learn more about Israel. 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... Learn more about Iron Dome. NEWS MISSILE DEFENSE NEWS Lockheed dives into next-generation missile defense interceptor competition - 8/4/20 - Defense News Raytheon and Rafael to build Iron Dome in US - 8/4/20 - Defense News American trucks land in Israel to support Iron Dome testing ahead of US Army delivery - 8/5/20 - Defense News The price of peace: Why Japan scrapped a $4.2bn US missile system - 8/5/20 - Nikkei Asian Review Missile Agency Director Describes Threat, Countermeasures - 8/5/20 - Department of Defense DoD space agency’s programs don’t have to be perfect but have to be fast - 8/5/20 - Space News MDA to Use Destroyer USS John Finn for Defense-of-Hawaii Missile Intercept Test - 8/5/20 - USNI News Airplanes With Lasers Won’t Be Shooting Down Ballistic Missiles Anytime Soon - 8/6/20 - Forbes Stratcom Chief: Attack on U.S. Would Be ‘A Very Bad Day’ for Adversary - 8/6/20 - Department of Defense SMDC Tech Center leader discusses Army’s future - 8/6/20 - DVIDS Raytheon, Israeli contractor to build missile facility in the US - 8/6/20 - ABC 15 Japan’s Ruling Party Submits Proposal To Japanese Government On Future Of Missile Defense - 8/7/20 - Naval News How Will the U.S. Military Stop Hypersonic Attacks? Space-Based Missile-Killer Systems - 8/8/20 - National Interest THREAT NEWS Iran’s military is ‘more ready than ever’ for war: Iranian MoD - 8/4/20 - AMN North Korea has ‘probably’ developed nuclear devices to fit ballistic missiles – UN - 8/4/20 - The Guardian NK continues to develop missile capability beyond limits: Pentagon official - 8/7/20 - Korea Herald Russia warns it will see any incoming missile as nuclear - 8/7/20 - AP Gaza Strip factions warn ceasefire with Israel will end soon: report - 8/10/20 - i24NEWS Russia To Act If Japan Achieves Preventive Strike Capability – Security Official - 8/10/20 - Sputnik OTHER NEWS U.S. Army expanding space education programs at West Point - 8/4/20 - Space News Army IBCS Critical To JADC2: STRATCOM’s Adm. Richard - 8/5/20 - Breaking Defense Why Japan should have the capability to counterattack enemies - 8/7/20 - Nikkei Asian Review 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command conducts a change of responsibility ceremony - 8/7/20 - DVIDS China risks paying ‘high cost’ for South China Sea intimidation, Japan defense chief says - 8/7/20 - CNN US Putting More Troops on Russia’s Borders to Deter Moscow: Esper - 8/10/20 - Tasnim Stay Connected: ‌ ‌ ‌ 515 King Street, Suite 330, Alexandria, VA 22314 Unsubscribe [email protected] About our service provider Sent by [email protected] powered by Try email marketing for free today!