On September 30, the U.S. State Department approved the sale of up to five Patriot air and missile defense systems to Switzerland. Under the sale’s terms, Switzerland could purchase up to five Patriot radar sets, 17 launchers, and 70 GEM-T interceptors. The total cost of the systems is estimated to be $2.2 billion. Related Links:...
On September 27, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Division displayed a new antiship ballistic missile (ASBM) in an exhibition of aerospace weapons. Featuring an enlarged booster, Iran claims the Zolfaghar Basir missile ranges 700 km, over doubles Iran’s earlier antiship missiles. Related Links: Iran unveils enhanced ballistic missile as tensions rise with US,...
On September 24, the U.S. State Department approved a potential $241 million sale of Patriot Advanced Capability‑3 (PAC-3) Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) interceptors to the Netherlands. The deal comprises 34 PAC-3 MSE interceptors and other related parts, training, and equipment. The Netherlands previously took delivery of recapitalized Patriot fire units in July 2019. Related Links:...
On September 3, the U.S. Army successfully test-fired its National Advanced Surface to Air Missile System (NASAMS), downing a cruise missile target in the lowest-altitude intercept ever demonstrated for the system. The intercept was part of a testing series designated Vermillion Stallion. Used to defend Washington, D.C. airspace, NASAMS adapts a Sentinel radar and modified...
On September 23, the Indian Army successfully launched a Prithvi-II short range ballistic missile (SRBM) in a routine test near Chandipur on the country’s east coast. In the nighttime test, Army and Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) personnel fired a randomly-selected missile from a mobile launcher and tracked its flight until impact in the...
On September 16, Romania received its first battery of Patriot surface-to-air-missiles from the United States. In an agreement valued at roughly $4 billion, Romania will take delivery of seven Patriot batteries, including 56 PAC-2 GEM-T and 168 PAC-3 MSE interceptors. Romania is expected to receive an additional three batteries in the coming year and its...
Between June 16-September 16, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) reported 17 Houthi missile attacks on its territory and within Yemen. CSIS data now includes 177 publicly reported intercepts. Below is a summary of recent missile and drone activity. September 10 KSA air defenses intercept several ballistic missiles and bomb-laden UAVs targeting Saudi Arabia. The...
In September, the German Navy finalized a $194 million (USD) deal to procure additional RBS15 antiship missiles, jointly developed by Sweden’s Saab and Germany’s Diehl Defense. The missiles will be delivered between 2023-2026 and installed on the navy’s K130 Braunschweig-class corvettes. The RBS15 Mk 3 is a subsonic cruise missile with a range of 200...
On September 3, the U.S. Air Force demonstrated its Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS), a protocol for managing information flow between the services’ sensors and weapons. In the test conducted at White Sands Missile Range, Army and Navy artillery successfully downed a cruise missile target with a guided hypervelocity projectile, a first for the services....
On September 2, the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command test launched an unarmed Minuteman III ICBM from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The missile traveled approximately 6,760 km to its target in the Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands. The USAF last test fired the Minuteman III in August 2020. Related Links: Unarmed Minuteman III test...
