Defence Technology
European Security & Defence 2015
25
Integration is mission-critical for air and missile defense (BSC/ Raytheon) In the face of today’s escalating global missile
With an unprecedented success rate of nearly 90 percent,
threats, a fully integrated approach to defensive measures has
SM-3 represents the backbone of President Obama’s European
never been more critical. In a recent statement before the U.S.
phased-adaptive approach to ballistic missile defense, which
Senate Armed Services Committee, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Michael
started with the operational deployment of AN/TPY2 radar in
T. Flynn, the former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency,
Turkey.
asserted, “Ballistic missiles continue to pose a threat as they
The Army Navy/Transportable Radar Surveillance – Model
become more survivable, reliable, and accurate at greater ran-
2 (AN/TPY2), a transportable, ground-based X-band radar
ges. Potential adversaries are basing more missiles on mobile
system that helps defend against ballistic missile threats, is
platforms at sea and on land.” Such dangers require zero-fail
another example of how flexible technology from Raytheon can
defense mechanisms capable of matching and eliminating
seamlessly integrate with missile defense solutions from multip-
these threats at an affordable cost. An effective air and missile integrated defense operational concept starts with threat assessment and situational awareness. It must extend across all domains: air, land, sea and space. There is no magic bullet. An array of solutions must work together to provide layered defense within the military theater of operation. “While, many of our international customers ask for complete solutions, others have indigenous capabilities and request Raytheon to integrate their platforms into the architecture,” said Tim Glaeser, vice president, Business Development for Integrated Air and Missile Defense at Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. “We’re equipped to address either scenario, and are experts at supporting all sides of the Integrated Air and
A Standard Missile-3 Block IA is fired from the “USS Lake
Missile Defense equation.”
Erie” on its way to destroy a medium-range ballistic missile
Raytheon collaborates with partners across the globe in its mission to keep the U.S. and its allies safe from missile threats.
target.
Photo: Raytheon
This point was underscored when, just a few weeks ago, in a large-scale, multinational exercise, a Raytheon-made Standard
le suppliers or serve independently as part of any anti-ballistic
Missile-3 successfully engaged a ballistic missile target fired
missile (ABM) infrastructure.
from a U.K. range in the Outer Hebrides near Scotland – the
Ground-based radar sensors are just one example of how
first time the interceptor was tested in European waters. The
a company known for its radar heritage provides situational
United Kingdom, United States, Canada, France, Italy, The
awareness. The Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Ele-
Netherlands, Norway and Spain participated in the demonstra-
vated Netted Sensor System (JLENS) uses aerostat technology
tion of interoperable ballistic missile defenses from participating
to bring a top-down view to the big picture, lifting its sensor
navies. Numerous ships fired a variety of missiles to simultane-
system as high as 10,000 feet to detect and track hundreds of
ously defeat multiple targets.
airborne threats such as cruise missiles (among other threats),
Teaming with Japanese industry and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, Raytheon is working to field the next generation Standard Missile-3 interceptor. Now in development, SM-3 Block IIA
while extending the maximum reach of defensive weaponry for up to 30 days at a time. The Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Space Tracking and
will provide robust capability against short, medium and inter-
Surveillance System-Demonstrator (STSS-D) program is poised
mediate-range ballistic missile threats. “Our partnership on this
to take ballistic missile defense to new heights, both literally
program is one of a kind,” said Dr Mitch Stevison, Raytheon’s
and figuratively. STSS-D is a research and development
vice president of Raytheon’s Air and Missile Defense Systems.
capability that can detect and track ballistic missiles and other
“Once deployed, SM-3 Block IIA will provide an unprecedented
cold objects from a satellite in Earth’s lower orbit by relying on
level of protection from sea and land.”
infrared and visible light sensors developed by Raytheon.
