On Monday, April 25, General Glen VanHerck, the Commander for both the U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, spoke and answered questions during a Congressional hearing on the Fiscal Year 2023 budget request. During the hearing, General VanHerk said he was open to electronic warfare and non-kinetic options to improve homeland cruise missile defense.
On Tuesday, April 26, it was reported Germany will send 50 Gepard short-range air defense systems to Ukraine. The Gepard system is capable of defending against aircraft, rockets, guided missiles, and drones.
On Sunday, May 1, a missile attack targeted an oil refinery in Erbil, Iraq and caused a fire and minor damage at the facility. A total of six missiles were launched in the attack from the nearby Nineveh province. After the attack, security forces found the launch pad and an additional four missiles.
Also on Sunday, May 1, it was reported the U.S. Air Force’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget request includes a proposed C-130 transportable/deployable Hypervelocity Ground Weapon System (HGWS) prototype. The Air Force would like to incorporate the prototype into an existing joint service battle management system and test its ability to defend against incoming cruise missile threats during a live fire exercise.
