THIS WEEK IN MISSILE DEFENSE

November 9 - November 15, 2019

THE WEEK IN BRIEF

Click Here to Watch This Week in Missile Defense Video

On Saturday, Lockheed Martin reported two Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) Cost Reduction Initiative interceptors hit two ballistic missile targets at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The demonstration supported the Army’s Field Surveillance Program by ensuring the reliability of PAC-3 missiles.

Also on Saturday, The Drive Media reported on a recent photo of the U.S. Navy’s Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Dewey (DDG-105) at Naval Base San Diego showing a new system on its forward close-in weapon system pedestal. The Drive concluded the system was likely the Navy’s new Optical Dazzling Interdictor Navy (ODIN) laser weapon system, which is scheduled to be installed to be fielded on two destroyers by the end of the year. The ODIN is capable of countering aircraft and drones, boat or ship-based systems, as well as anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles.

On Tuesday, the Chief of Naval Operations and the Air Force Chief of Staff said they will link their separate command and control (C2) networks into a Joint All-Domain C2 system. Exchanging information among all services in all domains is crucial to Multi-Domain Operations envisioned by the Air Force and Army.

On Wednesday, Donald Trump met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the White House. Erdogan ruled out scrapping the Russian S-400 missile defense system batteries Turkey purchased. President Erdogan expressed a readiness to address Congress to ease its concerns over Turkey’s plan to deploy them.

On Thursday, Israel and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad announced a ceasefire after two day of heavy fighting. Six rockets were fired towards Israel after the ceasefire went into effect. Three rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome missile defense system. Israel Defense Forces remain on high alert.

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

MDAA WEBSITE UPDATES AND FEATURES

Patriot Missile Defense System

The Patriot missile defense system is a ground-based, mobile missile defense interceptor deployed by the United States and many other nations. The Patriot system detects, tracks, and engages UAVs, cruise missiles, and short-range or tactical ballistic missiles. Patriot missile systems have been tested in combat operations in...

Learn more about the Patriot.

Turkey

Turkey is a key NATO member located at the gateway between Europe and the Middle East. The country borders two failed states–Iraq and Syria–and subsequently is under constant threat from the residual effects of regional conflict. The Syrian civil conflict poses a threat to Turkish national security...

Learn more about Turkey.

Directed Energy

Directed energy weapons stand as a potentially tremendous development for any missile defense system, both in their own right and as a complement to kinetic weapons systems. Directed energy weapons use high-energy lasers or high-power microwaves, as opposed to the projectiles of traditional kinetic weapons.

Learn more about directed energy.

MISSILE DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Master Sergeant Thomas Jedreski

MSgt Jedreski is a Superintendent for the 460th Space Maintenance Division at Buckley AFB, Colorado. He is responsible for the training, direction, and operations of 24 personnel that coordinate all maintenance and testing for the SBIRS, Ground Communications Network Modernized (GCNM), and a detachment dedicated to supporting the SBIRS Air Force Operation Test and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC). He ensured the AFOTEC detachment provided Integrated Tests and Evaluations to the block 20 upgrade, simulating 90K missile launches and 728K messages from 173 SBIRS simulation products over six months. This testing was critical to AFSPC's operational acceptance decision of the major Block 20 upgrade. Additionally, he guided his SBIRS test team to conduct 66 weapon system tests for over $327M in projects and upgrades. Lastly, under his leadership his team ensured the U.S. STRATCOM Integrated Tactical Warning Attack Assessment Network was robustly tested on 36 different occasions, while adding enhanced missile detection alert software. MSgt Jedreski enlisted in the U.S. Air force in August 2000 and completed Basic Military Training followed by electronic principles training at Lackland AFB, Texas. MSgt Jedreski then completed Satellite Communications Wideband Telemetry training at Ft. Gordon, Georgia. MSgt Jedreski then joined the 3rd Combat Communications group at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, where he deployed three times in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. MSgt Jedreski re-enlisted in 2004 and was reassigned to the air Force Research Laboratory at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts and helped develop a sensor payload on the Tactical Satellite ORS, which has been in orbit since 2006. Also, MSgt Jedreski deployed to Mama,a Airport in the Kingdom of Bahrain at the Mail Control Activity to oversee all mail going in and out of the AORs for both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. In 2008, he moved to Aviano AB, Italy and served in the 603rd Air Control Squadron and deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 as part of a unique Joint Enlisted Tasking working for the U.S. Army. In July 2016, MSgt Jedreski served as a Project Manager for the 694th Intelligence Support Squadron at Osan AB, South Korea, spending two years overseeing a $5M renovation of a 5K square foot SCIF.