On November 16, the Long Range Discrimination Radar (LRDR) passed the Missile Defense Agency’s Critical Design Review (CDR). The completion of the CDR means that hardware and software components have achieved Technology Readiness Level 7 and Manufacturing Readiness Level 7, and are ready to enter the fabrication, demonstration, and testing phase of the program. To...
The Indian Air Force (IAF) successfully test-fired the BrahMos-A supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi Su-30MKI multirole fighter jet on November 22, 2017. The missile was “gravity dropped,” after which the engine started, propelling the missile towards its target in the Bay of Bengal off India’s eastern coast. BrahMos was a joint venture between India’s...
On November 20, Romanian Defense Minister Mihai Fifor said that Romanian plans to procure $3.9 billion worth of Patriot air defense system technology in the first half of 2019. This statement followed Romania’s Senate’s defense committee formally approving the acquisition, which still needs to pass the rest of the Senate for the purchase to go...
On November 17, the U.S. State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Poland for an Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS)-enabled Patriot Configuration-3+ for an estimated cost of $10.5 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale on November 14,...
On November 17, the Russian Navy celebrated the launch of its new Borei-A-class nuclear-powered submarine, the Prince Vladimir, from the Sevmash Shipyard in the Arkhangelsk region. In comparison to three current Borei-class subs produced under the Project 955 program, the new generation will carry four additional missile tubes for Russia’s SS-N-32 Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile,...
According to unnamed U.S. officials, the United States is conducting research and development on a new ground-launched cruise missile (GLCM) in response to Russian violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. “The idea here is we need to send a message to the Russians that they will pay a military price for violation of...
38 North, a North Korea monitoring group, has released satellite imagery of the Sinpo South Shipyard indicating the country is pursuing “an aggressive schedule to build and deploy its first operational ballistic missile submarine.” Taken on November 5, the images show sections of a submarine’s hull that possibly will be used for North Korea’s SINPO-C...
According to Brig. Gen. Robert Rasch, Deputy Program Executive Officer, Missiles and Space, the U.S. Army will increase Hellfire missile production by 2019 to keep pace with upgrades to the weapon and the growing demand for the missile. The Hellfire is regularly used to target terrorists and other high-value targets around the globe, fired from...
On November 14, the State Department approved the potential sale of 60 AIM-120 C-7 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) to Norway for an estimated cost of $170 million. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency this sale “will improve Norway’s capabilities for mutual defense, regional security, force modernization, and U.S. and NATO interoperability.” These...
On November 2, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) finished installing the 44th Ground-based Interceptor (GBI) at the Missile Defense Complex at Fort Greely, Alaska, completing the deployment of 14 additional GBIs ordered by President Obama in 2013. The final emplacement occurred just ahead of the year-end deadline. The Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system is designed to...
