Defense against Hypersonic Glide Vehicles

[AN/AWW-14(V)]

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has awarded Other Transactional (OT) Agreements to Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Missiles and Defense to complete an accelerated concept design of the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) for MDA’s regional hypersonic missile defense program. Interceptors will be fired from Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense destroyers using the standard Vertical Launch System (VLS) and will also integrate with the modified Baseline 9 Aegis Weapon System to detect, track, control, and engage hypersonic threats in the glide phase of the missile’s flight.

LM proposes navalized PAC-3 MSE https://insidedefense.com/daily-new...al-sea-based-pac-3-counter-hypersonic-threats
Raytheon can be provide new or existing design as Standard Missile or David Sling
and finally Northrop Grumman design is all new, probably

 

[jsport]

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has awarded Other Transactional (OT) Agreements to Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Missiles and Defense to complete an accelerated concept design of the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) for MDA’s regional hypersonic missile defense program. Interceptors will be fired from Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense destroyers using the standard Vertical Launch System (VLS) and will also integrate with the modified Baseline 9 Aegis Weapon System to detect, track, control, and engage hypersonic threats in the glide phase of the missile’s flight.

LM proposes navalized PAC-3 MSE https://insidedefense.com/daily-new...al-sea-based-pac-3-counter-hypersonic-threats
Raytheon can be provide new or existing design as Standard Missile or David Sling
and finally Northrop Grumman design is all new, probably

An optional defensive/offensive air breathing ASALM derivative upgrade or PAC 3 under mach 5 missiles which are able to strike or defend makes more sense than only 12xCPS on a ship. Mass production to face such overwhelming threats both defensively and offensively is necessary. Congress is still correct in doubting USN strategy on these monsterous and monsterouly expensive one shot wonder Mach 5s..

 

[jsport]

Here are the three companies selected to design hypersonic missile interceptors for MDA

The Missile Defense Agency has chosen three teams to design a Glide Phase Interceptor to defend against hypersonic threats.

www.defensenews.com

 

[Josh_TN]

The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has awarded Other Transactional (OT) Agreements to Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Raytheon Missiles and Defense to complete an accelerated concept design of the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI) for MDA’s regional hypersonic missile defense program. Interceptors will be fired from Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense destroyers using the standard Vertical Launch System (VLS) and will also integrate with the modified Baseline 9 Aegis Weapon System to detect, track, control, and engage hypersonic threats in the glide phase of the missile’s flight.

LM proposes navalized PAC-3 MSE https://insidedefense.com/daily-new...al-sea-based-pac-3-counter-hypersonic-threats
Raytheon can be provide new or existing design as Standard Missile or David Sling
and finally Northrop Grumman design is all new, probably

An optional defensive/offensive air breathing ASALM derivative upgrade or PAC 3 under mach 5 missiles which are able to strike or defend makes more sense than only 12xCPS on a ship. Mass production to face such overwhelming threats both defensively and offensively is necessary. Congress is still correct in doubting USN strategy on these monsterous and monsterouly expensive one shot wonder Mach 5s..

Well the Chinese seem to think they will work well enough. I think the future will be air launched weapons of much cheaper cost, but throwing a warhead two thousand miles is thirty minutes is always going to have some uses, even if its pricy. I think there's room for both. There isn't always a plane overhead when you want something dead. I definitely agree tearing open the Zoomies is pointless; there should be a low cost auxillary platform with plenty of hull space for more weapons and lower costs with larger numbers than those three orphaned hulls.

 

[Firefinder]

definitely agree tearing open the Zoomies is pointless; there should be a low cost auxillary platform with plenty of hull space for more weapons and lower costs with larger numbers than those three orphaned hulls.

Counterpoint.

The Navy is LOVING the Zumwalt hull. It large roomy, great seakeeping, solid crew quarters, lots of power...

I can see this as part of a way to get more of them made and avoided the standard you need to have a competition laws to order a big ticket idea like a ship.

A Zumwalt hull with the CPS tubes built in should be able to carry far more.

 

[Forest Green]

Here are the three companies selected to design hypersonic missile interceptors for MDA

The Missile Defense Agency has chosen three teams to design a Glide Phase Interceptor to defend against hypersonic threats.

www.defensenews.com

Arizona contractors get US military deals to work on first hypersonic missile interceptor

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency has selected two Arizona defense contractors to help develop the first interceptor design to counter hypersonic threats. The companies will be competing on concept designs for prototypes that will be due by September 2022.

us.yahoo.com

 

[uk 75]

Assuming the target of a Mach 5 weapon is a US aircraft carrier, then a Zumwalt based Area Defence ship seems to make sense as an escort.
I have been re reading the USN War College wargames about the Cold War in the 80s and note that most US carriers eventually got sunk or seriously damaged in a full on war.
A sneak attack by Mach 5 weapons on the Minuteman silos would be pointless as the US Trident force has enough weapons to annihilate China in return.
Anti Missile systems tend to lead to arms control treaties as a cheaper solution.

 

[Josh_TN]

definitely agree tearing open the Zoomies is pointless; there should be a low cost auxillary platform with plenty of hull space for more weapons and lower costs with larger numbers than those three orphaned hulls.

Counterpoint.

The Navy is LOVING the Zumwalt hull. It large roomy, great seakeeping, solid crew quarters, lots of power...

I can see this as part of a way to get more of them made and avoided the standard you need to have a competition laws to order a big ticket idea like a ship.

A Zumwalt hull with the CPS tubes built in should be able to carry far more.

If they love it she much why isn’t it the new large combatant?

 

[sferrin]

China's conducted 100s of hypersonic weapon tests

Moscow (Sputnik) Oct 29, 2021 - Gen. Hyten's remarks come a week after a failed US hypersonic test and as tensions between the US and China over Taiwan, which the latter considers as an integral part of its territory, remain high,

www.spacewar.com

‘Hundreds’ Of China Hypersonic Tests Vs. 9 US; Hyten Says US Moves Too Slowly - Breaking Defense

Gen. Hyten said he's "probably" going to approve "today or tomorrow a new requirement for Integrated Air and Missile Defense," which is a pillar of the Joint Warfighting Concept (JWC).

breakingdefense.com

You know just from look at the title and a quick skimming...

Replace China with Soviet and we back in fucking 1960-70s.

Reality can be a bitch like that.

 

[sferrin]

definitely agree tearing open the Zoomies is pointless; there should be a low cost auxillary platform with plenty of hull space for more weapons and lower costs with larger numbers than those three orphaned hulls.

Counterpoint.

The Navy is LOVING the Zumwalt hull. It large roomy, great seakeeping, solid crew quarters, lots of power...

I can see this as part of a way to get more of them made and avoided the standard you need to have a competition laws to order a big ticket idea like a ship.

A Zumwalt hull with the CPS tubes built in should be able to carry far more.

If they love it she much why isn’t it the new large combatant?

Because you can't fix stupid. Why do we only have 180 F-22s & 20 B-2s?

 

[sferrin]

A sneak attack by Mach 5 weapons on the Minuteman silos would be pointless as the US Trident force has enough weapons to annihilate China in return.

Mach 5 isn't fast enough. MM can be gone on 30 seconds notice. To your later point I would add, "for now". When (not if) they figure out how to spot submarines from satellites killing SSBNs will be like shooting fish in a barrel.

 

[Firefinder]

If they love it she much why isn’t it the new large combatant?

Because it does not work like that thanks to Congress.

There is like three different sets laws that basically say...

The DOD must put out a request the the Companies need to compete for with the DOD choosing the the one they most like.

The Navy can not go to Ingells and say, Hey I want 40 more Zumwalts hulls, heres money start building. No they have to have Ingells, Newport, Mobile and any other boat builter to included their design bid. Then run an extensive think tank program to choose the best for their needs.

All while congress is breathing down their necks.

Especially since the Zumwalt is disliked by Congress still, who holds the money bag and are famously... Stupid with weapon programs.

But by showing that the Zumwalts have uses and since they are already built. The navy can use the same loophole that they did to get the Burke 3s or FA18s built by saying it be cheaper to make a modification of an existing design instead of jumping thru the hoops to get a new one.

 

[Forest Green]

Mach 5 isn't fast enough. MM can be gone on 30 seconds notice. To your later point I would add, "for now". When (not if) they figure out how to spot submarines from satellites killing SSBNs will be like shooting fish in a barrel.

That would be extremely difficult since only ELF waves travel more than a few feet underwater and an ELF radar would be about the width of a small country, unless they can figure out how to create a virtual radar from many separate satellites.

 

[sferrin]

Mach 5 isn't fast enough. MM can be gone on 30 seconds notice. To your later point I would add, "for now". When (not if) they figure out how to spot submarines from satellites killing SSBNs will be like shooting fish in a barrel.

That would be extremely difficult since only ELF waves travel more than a few feet underwater and an ELF radar would be about the width of a small country, unless they can figure out how to create a virtual radar from many separate satellites.

That's the thing with military technology. It's always the things you don't see coming that bite you in the ass.

 

[aonestudio]

Lockheed Martin Selected to Develop Glide Phase Interceptor

The Missile Defense Agency has awarded Lockheed Martin a contract to begin developing the Glide Phase Interceptor.

www.lockheedmartin.com

The Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed Martin a $20.9 million contract to begin developing a concept design for the Glide Phase Interceptor (GPI), a defense program meant to defeat hypersonic missiles that travel five times the speed of sound.

“GPI leverages our proven success in developing and fielding the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, weapon system. This, combined with our Aegis weapon system expertise and knowledge, affords us the unique capability to support the hypersonic threat defense for MDA,” said Julie Pecson, program director of the Glide Phase Interceptor program at Lockheed Martin.

The MDA shared that interceptors will be fired from Navy Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense destroyers using the standard Vertical Launch System and will also integrate with the modified Baseline 9 Aegis Weapon System to detect, track, control, and engage hypersonic threats in the glide phase of the missile’s flight.

 

[aonestudio]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1469518893446275073

View: https://twitter.com/Casillic/status/1469518893446275073

https://permalink.lanl.gov/object/tr?what=info:lanl-repo/lareport/LA-UR-21-31784

 

[aonestudio]

L3Harris Completes Final US Missile Defense Agency Satellite Design Milestone

L3Harris Technologies completed the final major design milestone on the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor (HBTSS) program Phase IIb On-orbit Prototype Demonstration and has already begun building the demonstration satellite.

www.l3harris.com

 

[LMFS]

If true, this is huge:

First S-550 air defense systems enter service in Russia — source

The source described the new system as "an absolutely new and unrivalled mobile system of strategic missile defense"

tass.com

 

[Bhurki]

If true, this is huge:

First S-550 air defense systems enter service in Russia — source

The source described the new system as "an absolutely new and unrivalled mobile system of strategic missile defense"

tass.com

Then again, it is Tass.

 

[LMFS]

Источник анонсировал заступление на боевое дежурство ЗРС С-550

Первые несколько дивизионов новой зенитной ракетной системы (ЗРС) С-550 готовятся заступить на боевое дежурство. Об этом в среду, 29 декабря, «Известиям» сообщил источник.

iz.ru

Izvestia is also not trustworthy, right?

 

[sferrin]

If true, this is huge:

First S-550 air defense systems enter service in Russia — source

The source described the new system as "an absolutely new and unrivalled mobile system of strategic missile defense"

tass.com

"capable of "hitting spacecraft, ballistic missile reentry vehicles and hypersonic targets at altitudes of tens of thousands of kilometers."

ROFL! Sure.

 

[Dilandu]

"capable of "hitting spacecraft, ballistic missile reentry vehicles and hypersonic targets at altitudes of tens of thousands of kilometers."

Journalists... what else did you expect?...

 

[Dilandu]

If true, this is huge:

Well, a good Russian tradition is to officially commission the system only after it is already put in service) According to official sources, they are deployed starting from October around Moscow (15-th Special Purpose Air-Space Army).

 

[LMFS]

Well, a good Russian tradition is to officially commission the system only after it is already put in service) According to official sources, they are deployed starting from October around Moscow (15-th Special Purpose Air-Space Army).

Can you point out where did you see that they were deployed already in October please?

 

[bobbymike]

Congress gives Missile Defense Agency authority to research and develop laser tech for missile defense

The Missile Defense Agency has received a renewed mandate from Congress to research and develop defensive laser weapons to take out ballistic and hypersonic missile threats.

www.defensenews.com

 

[Marcellogo]

About the S-550: it have been already corrected.
The journo had mistaken S-500 and S-550.


Let's note that Moscow is the least place in Russia where deployment of S-550 (i.e. a specialized and MOBILE anti-ICBM device) would have any sense as it is already covered by FIXED A-135 and Nudol missile.

Naturally the contrary applies for S-500 as it will cover the Capital against IRBM and cruise missiles (and in future hypersonic weapons).

https://topwar.ru/187180-gosispytan...hal-postavki-zrs-s-500-prometej-v-vojska.html

How you see an initial unit has been already deployed: it however would not be immediately operative as it would used to train the AD troops first.

 

[Firefinder]

Let's note that Moscow is the least place in Russia where deployment of S-550 (i.e. a specialized and MOBILE anti-ICBM device) would have any sense as it is already covered by FIXED A-135 and Nudol missile

Then again it does make some sense from Training points.

You already have a know system with people there who know how to use. And have a solid nice and warm fuzzy feeling on what right looks like.

Plus you have all the training gear and like there.

So it could be as simple as using the A135 traing gear and personal as a baseline. And hopefully getting people from that system cross train on the other.

Basically russia knows the A135/Nudol system works with X. Does the S500 work with X as we think it do? And going from there.

 

[Marcellogo]

Not, because the two systems have actually nothing in common.
The first unit that I was talking about was the one of S-500, not of S-550 (that still not exist).
Such unit is being formed in the area of Moscow but has nothing to do with the ABM defence system.
A.t.c. S-500 missile is a derivative from S-300V (i.e. of the Army) wheeled export version : so it would paradoxically be better to use a Ground Force unit than one of Aerospace Forces for an accelerated training.

Naturally you have to consider that in both the case of S-500 than of future S-550 the missiles is not the only thing a.t.c. what is more needed compared than in, let's say, the case of the S-400 (or the AEGIS system of the USN) is a radar specifically dedicated to track ballistic or hypersonic targets at very high quotes.

Infact, ballistic targets move very little on the longitudinal axes but climb very fast at extremely high altitudes so a conventional search radar (i.e. one that in order to intercept planes and air breathing cruise missiles would make a large horizontal scan) would lose track of them when they reach above a certain altitude: in case of a purely balistic trajectory you can still have hope to get an hint of when and where they will pop up again in your screen but in a case of a MIRV and even worse a MARV payload: INDOVINALA GRILLO! as we use to say.
So, you will need ALMOST something able almost to gave you a full scan in the vertical but this usually came with a very narrow horizontal one.
An hypersonic glide vehicle instead: well, first they can bounce and in addition of that they can weave a lot both on an horizontal than in a longitudinal axis so you will need a whole continental size network of such radars to be able to just follow a few of them fired in salvo.
Russia actually has one, built up in a span of decades, USA still got something (very something) but just as a protection of themselves and maybe Canada against more conventional ballistic menace and have dismantled the rest.
Europe, Middle East, Southern-Eastern Asia have about nothing on that regard.
It obviously apply also to naval matter, so the idea of acquiring Zumwalt above is worthless: they have not any of such radars.
Even worse: they have not even a conventional AD radars (as they are DDH, not DDG) and their potential VLS allowance is inferior even to that of a Burke, go figure...

 

[jsport]

Agency Addresses Hypersonic Vehicle Detection, Satellite Survivability

Washington DC (SPX) Jan 14, 2022 - The Space Development Agency will be fielding satellites that will provide eyes-on capability to detect maneuverable hypersonic glide vehicles during flight, and those satellites will be affordable

www.spacewar.com

 

[aonestudio]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1488608144930578436

View: https://twitter.com/Missile_Defense/status/1488608144930578436

 

[sferrin]

Budget uncertainty ‘throttles’ MDA’s development of a hypersonic missile interceptor

A Glide Phase Interceptor would round out MDA's plans to turn the ballistic missile defense architecture into one optimized for hypersonic missile defense as well. But the funding and the path forward for the interceptor remains unclear.

www.defensenews.com

Our own inept politicians are far more deadly than either the Chinese or the Russians.

 

[bobbymike]

Complex Air Defense: Countering the Hypersonic Missile Threat | CSIS Events

Please join the CSIS Missile Defense Project for the rollout of our new report, Complex Air Defense: Countering the Hypersonic Missile Threat.

www.csis.org

 

[Forest Green]

Australia, UK, US alliance to develop hypersonic missiles

The United States, United Kingdom and Australia announced Tuesday they will work together via the recently created security alliance known as AUKUS to develop hypersonic missiles. The move comes amid growing concern by the U.S. and allies about China’s growing military assertiveness in the...

www.yahoo.com

 

[publiusr]

Maybe Bull type HARP shells full of sub-submunitions as a long range shotgun?

 

[Forest Green]

Maybe Bull type HARP shells full of sub-submunitions as a long range shotgun?

Rail gun with guided KKV rounds.

 

[Forest Green]

Space Force's $1B for hypersonic missile tracking in FY23 will go to new satellites, ground systems - Breaking Defense

Brig. Gen. Jason Cothern, Space Systems Command (SSC) deputy, told Breaking Defense that about $400 million of the new funds, if appropriated, would go procurement of a new MEO constellation as one part of multi-layered hypersonic missile tracking.

breakingdefense.com

 

[bobbymike]

Glide Breaker II

SAM.gov

sam.gov

 

[In_A_Dream]

Glide Breaker II

SAM.gov

sam.gov

One thing the DoD should be funding is expanded Wind Tunnel facilities. We're clogged up right now.

 

[sublight_]

I just had a thought. If clouds and other airborne matter can destroy hypersonic vehicles as the dod notes here:

DoD Awards Texas A&M University for Applied Hypersonics Research

The Department of Defense announced Texas A&M University was selected for a one-year, $500,000 applied research award.

www.defense.gov

Then wouldn't the gigantic cloud of nanotube "super chaff" that lasts 10 hours provide not only a radar shield, but area denial for hypersonic weapons?

Huge "Swarm" That Lit-Up Radar Was Almost Certainly Caused By The Military, Not Ladybugs

A massive radar bloom over California in 2019 was widely reported to be a ladybug swarm, but our investigation has shown this was unlikely the case.

www.thedrive.com

Mysterious Cloud Of Chaff Lights Up Radar Over Dozens Of Miles Of New Mexico Airspace

It is the latest in a string of peculiar chaff release events from across that U.S. that have drawn a lot of attention in recent months

www.thedrive.com

 

[Forest Green]

Huge "Swarm" That Lit-Up Radar Was Almost Certainly Caused By The Military, Not Ladybugs

A massive radar bloom over California in 2019 was widely reported to be a ladybug swarm, but our investigation has shown this was unlikely the case.

www.thedrive.com

Mysterious Cloud Of Chaff Lights Up Radar Over Dozens Of Miles Of New Mexico Airspace

It is the latest in a string of peculiar chaff release events from across that U.S. that have drawn a lot of attention in recent months

www.thedrive.com

Hmm....

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhDl_22DxHQ&t=510s