THIS WEEK IN MISSILE DEFENSE

October 5 - October 11, 2019

THE WEEK IN BRIEF

Click Here to Watch This Week in Missile Defense Video

On Monday, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) director Vice Admiral Jon Hill spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He said the MDA is upping its game to meet challenges posed by next generation precision guided weapons from Russia and China and advances made by North Korea.

Also on Monday, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, said the country will start using thirty IR-6 centrifuges in coming weeks for enriching uranium. The IR-6s enrich uranium ten times faster than the IR-1 centrifuges Iran was limited to using under 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

On Tuesday, Norway confirmed it will not be part of NATO’s joint ballistic missile defense system being constructed in several member states. The Ministry of Defence stated the decision as part of its budget announcement. Norway opposes merging it with wider ranging U.S. missile defenses.

On Wednesday, the Japan Air Self Defense Force deployed Patriot missile batteries to various spots during an exercise – including Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park in central Tokyo. The exercise was just the fourth time troops conducted such training outside of Japanese or U.S. military bases.

On Thursday, North Korea threatened to resume nuclear and long-range missile tests. The warning by Pyongyang’s Foreign Ministry followed the weekend breakdown of American-North Korean nuclear negotiations in Sweden, the first talks between the two countries in more than seven months.

Also on Thursday, the U.S. Air Force announced its next generation early warning missile defense satellites passed a design review. The Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared system is being built to replace the Space Based Infrared System, a crucial part of the missile defense architecture.

On Friday, two missiles struck an Iranian oil tanker traveling through the Red Sea off the coast of Saudi Arabia. The explosion damaged two storerooms aboard the tanker and caused an oil leak into the Red Sea near the Saudi port of Jiddah. There is no word from Saudi Arabia on the attack.

Also on Friday, the Pentagon announced the U.S. is deploying one air expeditionary wing, two fighter squadrons, two Patriot batteries, one Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system, and thousands of U.S. forces to Saudi Arabia in the aftermath of Iran’s attack on Saudi oil facilities in September.

Click here to read all of the headlines from the week.

MDAA ALERTS

Join the Navy

The United States’ globally immediate and constant mobile projection of force is our nation’s Navy and its eleven Carrier Strike Groups (CSGs). These CSGs each provide their own large area defensive zones centered on the Aircraft Carriers across the oceans of the world.

Click here to read more.

Last week MDAA toured and visited with Sailors of the USS Mobile Bay (CG 53) homeported at Naval Base San Diego, California.

MDAA WEBSITE UPDATES AND FEATURES

MK-15 Phalanx CIWS

The MK 15 Phalanx provides ships protection against incoming missiles and aircraft.[vi] It is composed of six 20mm gun barrels, and fires up to a rate of 4,500 rounds per minute. The Phalanx is also equipped with its own search radar and tracking radar, which allows for the system to work independently of other systems.

Learn more about the Mk-15 Phalanx.

Romania

Romania joined NATO in 2004 and plays a central role in the European Phased Adaptive Approach (EPAA), which aims to build a continental missile shield to protect Europe.

In 2011, the Romanian Senate adopted the draft law of the Romania-United States

Learn more about Romania.

RIM-7 Sea Sparrow

The RIM-7 Sea sparrow is a short to medium range, radar-guided, surface to air missile.[vi] It was developed as a joint project by Raytheon and General Dynamics.[vii] Initially designed as an air-to-air missile by Sperry and the U.S. Navy, the RIM-7 was modified and now serves as an air defense system for the U.S. Navy

Learn more about the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow.

MISSILE DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Major Jason DeLange

MAJ DeLange joined the missile defense program with the 49th Missile Defense Battalion as an E6 in 2004. He was commissioned in August of 2006 and was assigned as a Sensor Operator. During his five years at Ft. Greely, MAJ DeLange certified in four of the five crew positions. In 2009 he was assigned to the 100th Missile Defense Brigade (MDB) in Colorado Springs, Colorado as an Executive Officer. MAJ DeLange had two Battery level commands, one with the 100th MDB and the other on Ft. Carson with the Centennial Training Site. Following Command, he was assigned as the Deputy Director for Alpha Crew from March 2017 – October 2018. He is currently assigned to Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense at Schriever AFB, Colorado. MAJ DeLange is married to Marchell DeLange and has four children, Jake, Jadie, Ally, and Luke.