MISSILE DEFENSE MONDAYS

December 6 - December 12, 2022

THE WEEK IN BRIEF

On Tuesday, December 6, a third Russian airfield was ablaze from a drone strike, a day after Ukraine demonstrated an apparent new ability to penetrate hundreds of kilometres deep into Russian air space with attacks on two Russian air bases. Officials in the Russian city of Kursk, around 90 km (60 miles) north of the Ukraine border, released pictures of black smoke above an airfield in Tuesday’s early hours after the latest strike. The governor said an oil storage tank had gone up in flames but there were no casualties.

On Wednesday, December 7, photos of a Polish S-125 Newa SC surface-to-air missile system, a modernized variant of the Soviet-era SA-3 Goa, that appear to be in Ukrainian forces’ possession have emerged online. Neither Poland nor Ukraine had previously announced the transfer of this system, making its appearance unexpected. Nonetheless, it would be in line with the increasing volume of air defense-related aid making its way to the country. The photo now circulating of what is unmistakably a Newa SC first surfaced Monday on Facebook where it was shared by the Ukraine-based Serhiy Prytula Charity Foundation in a post thanking its donors for funding a tranche of unrelated aid recently received by the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Also on Wednesday, the rapidly increasing tempo of North Korean missile tests underscores the importance of a viable homeland missile defense. On Oct. 3, Pyongyang conducted its 39th ballistic missile test of the year—the eighth since just last week. The most recent shot flew right over Japan and traveled so far that it could have reached the U.S. territory of Guam.

On Thursday, December 8, the military announced that they will place a senior Department of Defense official in charge of Guam’s missile defense, including its design, development, budget and acquisition, according to the fiscal 2023 defense budget, which also calls for an analysis of the proposed air and missile defense system. The Senate Armed Services Committee released a summary of the $857.9 billion defense budget bill, which includes several provisions related to military activity in Guam.

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

MDAA ALERTS

457 Years of Homeland Defense

"In 1565, Spanish Conquistador Pedro Menéndez de Avilés made history by founding the oldest continuously occupied settlement of European origin in what we now know as the United States, the city of Saint Augustine, Florida, 42 years prior to Jamestown being founded in 1607. A company of citizen-soldiers was created to defend and protect Saint Augustine, giving birth to the oldest National Guard company in the history..."

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.

Taiwan Incursion Updates

Track the number and type of incursions in the Taiwan Strait, the number of missiles fired, aircraft crossing the ADIZ, and daily news highlights.

Track updates on the tensions in the Taiwan Strait.

MISSILE DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Staff Sergeant

Bonnie Bagnaro

SSgt Bagnaro is the Command and Control Battle Management Operator for the Defense Team at the 613th Air Operations Center (AOC) at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. The Defense Team have significantly contributed to the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s (USINDOPACOM) missile defense mission through their combined knowledge, professionalism, and leadership. During this period, the Defense Team participated in multiple Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) and Joint Air and Missile Defense exercises that resulted in increasing the capability and lethality in the USINDOPACOM Area of Responsibility (AOR). The Defense Team participated in exercises such as Keen Edge, Keen Sword, Combined Combat Post Training, and Night Blue with the 94th Army Air and Missile Defense Command and Air Defense Artillery Fires Control Officer section. Their integration and training increased our joint operational readiness and knowledge of our combined weapon systems. Additionally, the Defense Team participated in multiple real-world operations integrating with allies and partners in the Pacific region. Distance Sea Operations enabled the Defense Team to integrate with their Japan Air Self-Defense Force counterparts to execute the mission to deter peer and near-peer aggression in the AOR. Operation Noble Eagle provided critical roles in PACAF objectives to validate air defense team management of limited resources in a multiple threat environment, timely response & implementation of continuum of operations utilizing theater operationally resilient systems to defend the AOR, and finally providing real-time operational Command and Control for all Dynamic Force Employment in the USINDOPACOM AOR aligned with our National Defense Strategy. SSgt Bagnaro is a member of the Hawaii Air National Guard. She has served in the United States Air Force for a total of 17 years, 10 of which were served as active-duty Security Force. She has served overseas at Lakenheath Air Force Base and was deployed for Operation Southern Watch to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. SSgt Bagnaro has one son, James Wooderson, who is 15 years old and will be starting his sophomore year at Kapolei High School.

Click here to view all the awardees from the 2022 Indo-Pacific Air & Missile Defender of the Year Award Ceremony.