End-to-End Ballistic Missile Defense System Simulation Completed

[LETHALFORCE]

End-to-End Ballistic Missile Defense System Simulation Completed

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and Northrop Grumman Corporation have finalized verification and validation of the Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) Performance Assessment 2009 (PA09). PA09 is an end-to-end system-level simulation conducted to analyze how the BMDS integrated radars, communication networks and interceptors perform during scenarios.

Northrop Grumman, as the prime contractor at the Missile Defense Integration and Operations Center (MDIOC) under the Joint National Integration Center Research and Development Contract, led the team that integrated and executed the unprecedented simulation. The simulation represented a complete BMDS engagement from enemy missile launch to intercept by a BMDS kill vehicle.

"Performance Assessment 2009 was a great success," said Karen Williams, vice president of Air and Missile Defense Systems for Northrop Grumman's Information Systems sector.

"Through disciplined and rigorous integration and more than 2,500 test executions, we created a baseline configuration for 36 distinct scenarios.

"PA09 was a critical step in providing our war fighting commanders with accurate predictions of the performance of the BMDS," added Williams.

Because the potential combinations of BMDS configurations, intercept scenarios and missile threats are too numerous for ground and flight testing, assessing overall BMDS performance depends upon the use of high-fidelity models and simulations for evaluating the capabilities of the system.

PA09 brought together the capabilities of the various element models in a comprehensive simulation in order to analyze how the BMDS would perform against strategic and theater/regional threats.

"The scale and complexity of the activity was remarkable," said Williams. "This achievement was clearly the result of tremendous effort from and cooperation amongst the services, our diverse industry partners and the MDA."

The BMDS element models engaged in PA09 include Space-Based Infrared System; Patriot Advanced Capability; Terminal High Altitude Area Defense; Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense; Ground-based Midcourse Defense; and Command, Control, Battle Management, Communications. PA09 successfully executed and analyzed 36 scenarios including four digital ground-test reconstructions and three digital flight-test reconstructions. PA09 was conducted at the MDIOC, Colorado Springs, Colo.

The MDIOC is the U.S. Department of Defense's premier missile defense center for integration, deployment and operation of the nation's BMDS. Nearly every BMDS-level modeling and simulation, ground test, flight test, wargame, training exercise, mission-critical operation and related analysis is conducted, supported or monitored at the MDIOC.

Northrop Grumman has been the prime contractor at the MDIOC for more than 15 years. In this role, the company uses its broad and deep system-of-systems experience to lead a world-class team to conduct BMDS-level modeling and simulation, ground and flight tests, analysis and operational training. Northrop Grumman has been a leader of the modeling and simulation community for the MDA since 1995.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Second Live Tracking Exercise For Ballistic Missile Defense Completed


Second Live Tracking Exercise For Ballistic Missile Defense Completed

Lockheed Martin successfully identified and tracked four live targets during a test of its Multi-Mission Signal Processor (MMSP) being fielded as part of the Aegis next-generation Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability.

The MMSP is part of the Navy's Advanced Capability Build 12 system, intended to help combine next-generation Aegis BMD and anti-air warfare (AAW) capabilities in an open combat system architecture.

"This is our second demonstration of the MMSP capability, and both have successfully shown its abilities to detect and track targets," said Allan Croly, director, Naval Radar Programs, for Lockheed Martin's Mission Systems and Sensors business unit. "MMSP allows our customers to track threats that would have gone undetected with lesser capabilities."

The first demonstration conducted earlier this year showcased the radar's AAW capability while this test focused on the radar's BMD capability.

Both were conducted using an augmented Aegis system at the Navy's land-based test facility, the Vice Admiral James H. Doyle Combat Systems Engineering Development Site in New Jersey. Additional testing will occur through 2011.

As part of the Aegis Modernization Program, MMSP is scheduled for installation on guided missile destroyers currently equipped with the Aegis Weapon System, starting in 2012.

The Aegis BMD element of the nation's ballistic missile defense system provides the capability to use hit-to-kill technology to intercept and destroy short- and medium-range ballistic missiles.

Additionally, Aegis BMD-equipped ships provide surveillance and tracking of intercontinental ballistic missiles and work with other elements of the nation's missile-defense systems to provide advance warning for the defense of the nation, deployed U.S. forces, and allies.

 

[Patriot]

Upgraded Aegis Weapon Systems Proven Operational on 2 US Navy Cruisers
Published on ASDNews: Sep 10, 2010

(Moorestown, N.J., September 9, 2010) -- The U.S. Navy, supported by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), successfully completed Combat System Ship Qualification Trials for upgraded Aegis Combat Systems installed aboard two Navy ships.

The Navy determined that the Aegis Combat Systems aboard the cruisers USS Mobile Bay and USS Philippine Sea are fully operational. As part of the cruiser modernization program, the computer suites on these ships were upgraded with enhanced technical data collection capability and radar data display systems, as well as a new digital fire control interface between the anti-submarine warfare control system and the vertical launch system.

During the trials, the ships' Aegis Combat Systems were evaluated for combat-readiness through comprehensive surface, subsurface and anti-air warfare exercises. These included manned raids and electronic attack scenarios, as well as thorough testing of the systems' tactical data link and air defense capabilities.

"Lockheed Martin continues its legacy of working with the Navy to evolve the Aegis system," said Jeff Bantle, Lockheed Martin's vice president of Surface-Sea Based Missile Defense Systems. "We take great pride in our partnership as the Aegis Platform System Engineering Agent and look forward to using our experience to increase program affordability."

The Aegis Weapon System includes the SPY-1 radar, the Navy's most advanced radar system. When paired with the MK 41 Vertical Launching System, it is capable of delivering missiles for every mission and threat environment in naval warfare.

The Aegis Weapon System is deployed on 93 ships around the globe. Aegis is the weapon system of choice for Australia, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea and Spain. Aegis-equipped ships have more than 1,200 years of at-sea operational experience and have launched more than 3,800 missiles in tests and actual operations.

The USS Mobile Bay and the USS Philippine Sea are both Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers.






Upgraded Aegis Weapon Systems Proven Operational on 2 US Navy Cruisers - ASDNews