MISSILE DEFENSE MONDAYS

February 23 - 28, 2022

THE WEEK IN BRIEF

On Wednesday, February 23, the Ukrainian Minister of Interior Affairs announced that Russian missile strikes were underway against the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv.

On Thursday, February 24, Russia launched a major assault on Ukraine that included 100 missiles and 75 bombers. This included both ballistic and cruise missiles and 137 people were killed in the initial wave.

On Friday, February 25, Russia continued its assault on Ukraine with heavy shelling, airstrikes, and missile strikes that hit at least 25 targeted cities, airports, and military installations across Ukraine. Some notable cities targeted by the shelling include Kyiv, Lutsk, Kharkiv, Odessa, Kherson, and Mariupol.

On Sunday, February 27, the United States approved the delivery of anti-aircraft Stinger missiles to Ukraine. The decision comes shortly after Germany announced it would send 500 Stinger missiles along with other weapons to Ukraine.

Also on Sunday, President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian nuclear deterrent forces to be put on high alert.

Also on Sunday, North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. The newest launch comes less than two weeks ahead of the South Korean presidential election on March 9, in which North Korea is likely to be a key electoral issue.

Click here to read all of this week's headlines.

MDAA ALERTS

A Strategic Leader

Yesterday we championed and recognized the new ranking member of the House Armed Services Strategic Forces subcommittee Rep Doug Lamborn in his home district of Colorado Springs. Hosting our 37th Congressional Roundtable “The Future of Space and Missile Defense”...

Click here to read more.

Ukraine, NATO, Russia; Why Missile Defense is Critical

It is a different time in the world, we have a lot of sympathy and empathy for the deaths that are happening in Ukraine today. And, we see and note that our deterrence has failed as a Western civilization to prevent this type of a warfare in Ukraine...

Click here to read more.

MDAA WEBSITE UPDATES AND FEATURES

Missile Defense of Poland

In 1999, Poland joined NATO to enhance its strategic defense against external threats.[i] From 2002-2009, Poland engaged in talks with the United States and European countries to build a US missile defense complex in Poland...

Learn more about Poland's missile defense.

Missile Defense of the Netherlands

Like other European nations, the Netherlands is threatened by the proliferation of ballistic missiles, conventional armaments, and the increasing hostility of near-peer adversaries...

Learn more about the Netherlands ' missile defense.

MISSILE DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Major Robert Heath Matthews

Maj Matthews is the Chief for Defensive Operations at the 603d Air Operations Center, Ramstein Air Base, Germany. He expertly led his Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) team, consisting of 16 joint missile defense professionals, responsible for defending two combatant commands, integrating ten global agencies with coalition and partner nations in three continents. During heightened tensions and in response to an increased ballistic missile threat, Maj Matthews secured the Area Air Defense Commander’s approval for an increased ballistic missile defense (BMD) posture. In doing so, he ensured assets were appropriately postured and hostile aggression was deterred. As the IAMD Training Officer, Maj Matthews led 40 weekly training events, exercising and validating the entire BMD kill-chain from Area Air Defense Command and Control to joint and coalition sensors and shooters. He personally trained five General Officers on the theater’s BMD mission. Maj Matthews’ team monitored over 80 actual and countless simulated theater ballistic missile launches in support of training, capability testing, missile warning and defense exercises. Additionally, Maj Matthews was a key player during European Command’s Astral Knight exercise, a joint, multinational air defense exercise that demonstrates synergistic effects of surface-to-air and air-to-air capabilities like Aegis, Patriot, and airborne assets against ballistic and cruise missile threats. His invaluable inputs and leadership led to the establishment of a Joint Theater Air and Missile Defense Board, apprising Senior Leaders of the IAMD Design and capabilities of the Missile Defense architecture. Maj Matthews’ actions resulted in 2000 Coalition personnel trained and the successful execution of European Command’s capstone IAMD Exercise. Maj Matthews is a 2007 graduate of Officer Training School and is a Senior Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot with over 1,200 flight hours in the MQ-9 Reaper. He has executed Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance and Attack missions in support of two Combatant Commanders and four Operational Missions from his Special Operations unit at Cannon Air Force Base (AFB), New Mexico. He completed a combat deployment to Bagram Air Base in 2015 in support of the Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component – Afghanistan. Prior to his current assignment, Maj Matthews was the Chief of Wing Plans and Programs at Holloman AFB, New Mexico in support of the MQ-9 and F-16 Formal Training Units.

Click here to view all the awardees from the 2021 U.S. Missile Defender of the Year Award Ceremony.