On February 23, the U.S. Air Force test launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. In a press release, the Air Force stated the launch demonstrated the United States’ “ability to provide safe, secure range operations…while maintaining a continuous state of readiness.” The United States previously tested...
On February 16, the U.S. Department of State approved the sale of Block 2 Rolling Airframe Missiles to Egypt. The approval, with an estimated sale cost of $197 million, includes 168 missiles, shipping and storage containers, and technical and logistical support. The Rolling Airframe Missile is a tactical missile employed for terminal air and cruise...
On February 9, the U.S. Navy flight tested an unarmed Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from waters off the Florida coast. According to an official notice to mariners, the missile was scheduled to fly over 8,000 km to a designated area in the South Atlantic Ocean. The U.S. Navy released no official details concerning...
On January 14, Romania’s government approved the purchase of the Naval Strike Missile (NSM), a subsonic antiship missile codeveloped by the United States and Norway. In a contract estimated at $286 million, Romania will acquire four ground-based launch vehicles and associated command, control, and support equipment by 2024. The NSM has an estimated range of...
On January 13, the U.S. Department of Defense began formal acquisition of the Integrated Battle Command System (IBCS), an Army command-and-control system for air and missile defense. Following a four-year delay in its $2.7 billion development phase, IBCS completed a successful test in 2020 and is expected to enter Army service in 2022. IBCS began...
On December 15, Russia tested an anti-satellite missile, according to a statement by the U.S. Space Command. According to the release, the weapon tested was a direct-ascent anti-satellite missile capable of destroying satellites in low Earth orbit. The statement separately announced that Russia had continued to develop a co-orbital anti-satellite weapon, which was tested in...
On Dec 15, Israel’s Ministry of Defense announced the completion of a major air and missile defense exercise, employing Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow weapons systems in a series of flight tests. In the exercise, the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO), in cooperation with the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), successfully intercepted a variety...
The United States has long worked with its allies on missile defense cooperation. Yet as missile threats proliferate, cooperation is increasingly important.
On November 18, the U.S. Air Force received a final proposal for the Long-Range Standoff Weapon (LRSO) and is preparing to seek approval for the system’s engineering and manufacturing development. Scheduled for May 2021, about nine months earlier than expected, the pending authorization would officially create a program of record for the multibillion dollar nuclear...
On November 13, the U.S. Army announced it had activated two units to evaluate the Iron Dome system for an interim cruise missile defense capability. According to an Army statement, the new batteries will draw personnel from the Army Air Defense Artillery School and a converted Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery to prepare...
