MISSILE DEFENSE MONDAYS

September 13 - September 19, 2022

THE WEEK IN BRIEF

On Tuesday, September 13, it was reported that the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), U.S. Navy Aegis Technical Representative, and Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force witnessed another successful demonstration of the J7.B software build in support of the Japanese ASEV program. This demonstration known as ASEV Software Release 3, allows Japan to field J7.B software and the SPY-7(V)1 radar onboard a sea-based ASEV platform to provide ballistic missile defense (BMD) of the Japanese homeland.

On Wednesday, September 14, the former commander of the German Air Force confirmed that Germany intends to buy the Arrow 3 air defense system from Israel, as a central part of what German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has described as a pan-European air defense network. Germany “will be investing very significantly in our air defense over the years ahead. All of those capabilities will be deployable within the framework of NATO”.

On Thursday, September 15, it was reported that the Japanese and U.S. defense chiefs agreed on Wednesday that their nations will undertake joint technological research to counter hypersonic weapons, as they work to closely align their national security strategies amid China’s growing assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. The talks between Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and his U.S. counterpart Lloyd Austin at the Pentagon — their first in-person meeting since Hamada’s appointment last month — came amid heightened tensions over Taiwan.

On Friday, September 16, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, after talks with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, held a press conference and answered several questions about Western air defense systems. Speaking to journalists, Zelensky noted the priority of air and missile defense systems for Ukraine. Among the positive things, the president emphasized the supply of anti-aircraft missile systems NASAMS and IRIS-T.

On Monday, September 19, The Space Systems Command, the Space Development Agency and the Missile Defense Agency formed a new program office to coordinate disparate procurements of satellites to detect ballistic and hypersonic missiles.

The Space Systems Command (SSC), the procurement arm of the U.S. Space Force, announced the realignment Sept. 15. The combined program office “establishes a formal partnership among missile warning, missile tracking and missile defense acquisition organizations for greater delivery of integrated and resilient sensor-to-shooter capabilities,” said Col. Brian Denaro, SSC space sensing program executive officer, who will lead the new office.

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

MDAA ALERTS

Time for Holistic Solutions

"The new North Korean law acknowledges North Korea as a nuclear state, and purports to loosen the conditions under which the government structure can authorize a nuclear attack. It specifically authorizes a quick and total launch of the nuclear stockpile if the leader is killed by a foreign power...."

Click here to read more.

MDAA WEBSITE UPDATES AND FEATURES

Ukrainian War Updates

Track the number and type of missiles used in the Ukrainian war, the number of casualties, and daily news highlights.

Track updates on the conflict in Ukraine.

NASAMS Information Page

Important information on the National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS).

Click here to read more about NASAMS.

MISSILE DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Lt Col

Kenon Thompson

Lt Col Thompson is currently assigned to the Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Integration and Synchronization Branch at U.S. Northern Command’s (USNORTHCOM) J31 Office at Peterson Space Force Base (SFB), Colorado. Lt Col Thompson was born in Santa Ana, California. He was commissioned via the Air Force Academy as a Nuclear and Missile Operations officer in 2006. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Management from the Air Force Academy, Master’s Certificate in Space Systems Management from University of Colorado (Colorado Springs), and a Master of Business Administration from Oklahoma State University (2014). Lt Col Thompson’s previous assignments include Missile Combat Crew Commander and Missile Combat Crew Flight Commander in the 320th Missile Squadron at F.E. Warren Air Force Base (AFB), Wyoming; Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Operations Instructor and Emergency War Order Flight Commander in the 532nd Training Squadron at Vandenberg AFB, California; Director of Advising and Assistant Professor of Management in the Department of Management at the U.S. Air Force (USAF) Academy, Colorado; and Missile Defense Officer in USNORTHCOM at Peterson SFB, Colorado. Lt Col Thompson has attended the ICBM Operations Training Course, Air and Space Basic Course, Air Force Instructional Systems Design Course, Squadron Officer School, Nuclear Fundamentals Course, USAF Nuclear Weapon Stockpile Training Course, and the Advanced ICBM Operations Course. Lt Col Thompson’s awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Air and Space Commendation Metal (1OLC), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Air and Space Achievement Medal, and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award (1OLC). Lt Col Thompson is married to Ashley Simcik (sim-sick). They have five children: Isabella, Colter, Lyric, Calianna and Wesley.

Lt Col Kenon "Patches" Thompson epitomizes the mission focus of the USNORTHC J31 BMD staff. Over the last year, during recent ground test activity, he identified several areas for improvement and possible employment efficiencies with the GMD system that will allow USNORTHCOM to improve our competitive advantage over possible adversaries in the execution of the BMD mission set. Most of Lt Col Thompson's specific accomplishments over the past year cannot be mentioned here, looking at actual tactics and techniques used and modifying them as the system evolves.

Click here to view all the awardees from the 2022 NORAD & USNORTHCOM Missile Warning and Defender of the Year Award Ceremony.