Missile Defense & Weapons

Unlike traditional weapons-firing platforms, most mobility aircraft lack onboard targeting systems. Two new organizations may form at least part of the enterprise needed to make the MC-130s and C-17s credible as weapons platforms.

The European missile manufacturer sees opportunities for missile development and consolidation as future fighter programs evolve.

U.S. Navy cancels JSOW-ER; SM-6 misses target; Brazil’s Air Force may cut KC-390; USAF buys jet for BACN; GA-EMS cross-link contract.

Four years after entering a prototyping phase, the Pentagon is ready to move an expanding group of hypersonic weapons into production.

The U.S. Air Force and Navy are not cooperating currently on a future nuclear cruise missile despite active development programs by both services, says Gen. Timothy Ray, the head of Air Force Global Strike Command.

General Atomics plans to provide a midlife upgrade for Italy’s MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft.

Israel Aerospace Industries and the Australia Missile Corp. are discussing collaboration with the aim of meeting Canberra’s requirement for “sovereign” Australian guided weapons.

The U.S. Navy has decided to acquire stealthy cruise missiles instead of developing a powered version of a long-range glide munition, a spokeswoman said on June 1.

A salvo of two Raytheon SM-6 Dual II missiles missed a medium-range ballistic missile target in a U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) intercept test on

Budget justification documents released by the Navy on May 29 list the Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept (HAWC) and the Supersonic Propulsion Enabled Advanced Ramjet (SPEAR) demonstrators as candidates for the Offensive Anti-Surface Warfare (OASuW) Increment II program.

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s fiscal 2022 budget request for $8.9 billion is a decrease of 2.5% compared to the previous year, but the agency continues to fund key programs like the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor and a Guam defense system to compete with China.

The fiscal 2022 budget request submitted by the U.S. Air Force on May 28 includes $200.1 million for the Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile.

Three Spanish companies have established a joint venture to develop the remote carrier unmanned air vehicles that will form a component of the European Future Combat Air System.

Russian S-500 production; combatant chief supports tanker retirements; UK chooses U.S. weapon; South Korean missile development.

The third demonstration on May 25 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico created a swarm of six networked bombs, which were also linked to a ground station.

MBDA’s Sea Ceptor naval air defense system has been selected for use on the UK’s new Type 31 frigates.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on May 25 development of the Almaz-Antey S-500 Prometheus air-defense system is being completed.

New life extension program for 32-year-old Trident II D5 aims to keep the submarine-launched ballistic missile in the inventory to 2084

A short-term debate over replacing the Minuteman III has raised fundamental questions about the land-based leg of the nuclear triad.

The U.S. has abolished the 42-year-old U.S.-South Korea Missile Guidelines, allowing South Korea to develop increasingly capable ballistic missiles.

The newly-branded Advanced Reactive Strike (ARES) missile and the Modular Payload System (MPS) launcher could be fielded in 4-7 years, depending on the booster configuration.

KC-46 woes continue; Colorado smallsat facility expansion; MHI SH-60L first flight; and latest SBIRS launch.

A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket helped the U.S. Space Force expand its ability to watch for missile launches around the world with the May 18 delivery to geosynchronous orbit of the fifth Lockheed Martin Space-Based Infrared satellite.

A week of experiments in the Utah desert offered a glimpse into the U.S. Army’s vision of the future of warfare.

U.S. Army officials revealed a long-range, loitering munition and a turbojet-powered Air Launched Effects system during the Edge21 demonstration event here on May 14.