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1997 Missile Defense Program News

• Antimissile Defense: Strategic Interception -- Bibliography of Documents Available from DTIC The DTIC Review, Dec 1997
• Hard.Copy - 19 December 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Hard.Copy - 12 December 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Hard.Copy - 05 December 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• FLORIDA KEYS MISSILE LAUNCHES REEVALUATED - November 24, 1997 - Air Force Lt. Gen. Lester L. Lyles, Director, Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), has decided that the preferred method of launching target missiles in the Gulf of Mexico for Theater Missile Defense (TMD) testing will be from aircraft instead of from land sites in the Florida Keys.
• Hard.Copy - 14 November 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Airborne Laser technology is on track Released: Nov 10, 1997 - KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS)
• Hard.Copy - 07 November 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Hard.Copy - 31 October 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Hard.Copy - 17 October 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Hard.Copy - 03 October 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Hard.Copy - 26 September 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Hard.Copy - 19 September 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Hard.Copy - 12 September 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Hard.Copy - 05 September 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Hard.Copy - 29 August 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• Theater High Altitude Area Defense - 26 August 1997 -- The fifth intercept attempt by the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) program, originally scheduled for December, has been delayed until early 1998.
• Hard.Copy - 22 August 1997 Article Citations Gathered From Commercially Published Journals And Newsletters.
• National Missile Defense News Briefing - 02 July 1997 -- Army Brigadier General Joseph Cosumano, Program Manager for the National Missile Defense Joint Program Office, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. Briefing on the first flight test of a sensor for the National Missile Defense Program. The test, considered successful based upon preliminary data, involved the launching of a prototype sensor to track and identify target objects deployed by a missile launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
• Subject: theater missile defense tests near Hawaii and elsewhere Theater Missile Defense Extended Test Range EIS documents have lots of details about missiles to be used and launch sites in or near the four areas evaluated -- White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, Eglin AFB in Florida, Western Range (Vandenberg AFB and vicinity) in California, and Kwajalein Missile Range in the Republic of the Marshall Islands. From: MDJ@uhhepb.phys.hawaii.edu Date: 10 May 1997
• CONTRACTS, including: COBRA GEMINI / Dual-Band Radar / STEEL TRAP, Clear Radar Upgrade, Military Spaceplane. May 9, 1997
• BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE ORGANIZATION Contract News Release Number: No. 202-97 April 25, 1997 On April 25, 1997, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization warded two contracts for the concept definition study phase of the National Missile Defense Lead Systems Integrator competition
• BMDO CONTRACTS FOR NATIONAL MISSILE DEFENSE LEAD SYSTEMS INTEGRATOR Contract Release Number: No. 203-97 FOR RELEASE AT 5 p.m. EDT April 25, 1997 The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization announced today that two contracts for the concept definition study phase of the National Missile Defense (NMD) Lead Systems Integrator have been awarded to United Missile Defense Company, Bethesda, Md., and Boeing North American Inc., Downey, Calif.
• TWO INDEPENDENT THAAD ASSESSMENTS COMPLETED DOD News Release Number: No. 193-97 April 23, 1997. The Department of Defense announced today that two independent review teams examining the Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system have completed their individual assessments and forwarded recommendations to senior officials of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, U.S. Army and other government agencies. The teams found that although THAAD has failed to intercept a target ballistic missile in four attempts, the THAAD design as a hit-to-kill interceptor is sound, as is the concept that THAAD will meet its operational requirements.
• DOD Contracts News Release: No. 194-97 April 23, 1997. General Atomics, San Diego, Calif., is being awarded a $5,401,936 cost plus fixed fee contract for the research, development, test and evaluation of advanced in-core thermionic technologies to support long duration space missions for national security purposes.
• Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, TRW form new company for national missile defense April 22, 1997 01:00 PM EDT United Missile Defense Company (UMDC), a joint venture equally owned by Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and TRW, has been formed to assist the U.S. Government in developing a comprehensive and effective system to defend the nation against a ballistic missile attack.
• Subject: Kaminski table of hit-to-kill tests Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 15:57:30 EDT From: George Lewis
• BMDO Forms New Joint Program Office MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS Memorandum: No. 049-M April 3, 1997 The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization has formed a Joint Program Office for the National Missile Defense program, effective April 1, 1997.
• Team ABL Successfully Completes a Major Program Milestone Wednesday, March 26, 1997 10:00:00 AM EST SEATTLE, March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- A trio of aerospace industry leaders -- Boeing (NYSE: BA), Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and TRW (NYSE: TRW) -- working for the U.S. Air Force to produce the revolutionary Airborne Laser (ABL) weapon system, has successfully completed a crucial review process clearing the way for the beginning of detailed design and engineering work.
• Testimony Tidbit on Patriot : Fri, 21 Mar 1997 - It seems that the Pentagon's performance claims about Patriot's Gulf War performance is down to about "eighty percent confiden(ce) [of] ... an eighty percent hit."
• PATRIOT MISSILE INTERCEPTS SCUD DURING TEST March 21, 1997 U.S. Department of Defense
• Another Successful Intercept in the Pacific The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization and the U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command announced another successful intercept of a Scud ballistic missile target by an improved PATRIOT missile defense system during a test on March 20 in the central Pacific Ocean.
• Lockheed Martin, TRW Complete First Integrated Test of Space Laser Components Monday, March 17, 1997 10:02:00 AM EST REDONDO BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 1997--On Feb. 20, Lockheed Martin and TRW (NYSE:TRW) moved the nation one step closer to being able to demonstrate a space-based laser (SBL) missile defense system.
• BMDO/SDIO tests of TMD and NMD interceptors are 2 for 14 Details (e.g., dates, what interceptor systems, test objectives, justification for assertion that a test "failed") provided here.
• SUCCESSFUL ARROW-2 TEST DOD News Release Reference Number: No. 112-97 March 11, 1997 The Joint- U.S. /Israel Arrow Ballistic Missile Defense System conducted a successful intercept of a target ballistic missile today in Israel. This was the fourth test of the Arrow- 2 missile and the second successful intercept attempt. The first two tests were not intercept attempts.
• [EXCERPTS] DoD News Briefing Mr. Kenneth H. Bacon, ASD (PA) Tuesday, March 11, 1997 - 1:30 p.m. I'd also like to make a brief announcement. There was a successful test this morning of the Arrow II anti-tactical ballistic missile. The test was conducted in Israel.
• DOD News Release Contract Number: No. 111-97 Technology Development Corporation*, Huntsville, Ala., was awarded on March 7, 1997, a $641,039 increment as part of a $9,969,386 cost-plus-fixed-fee (level of effort) contract for Laser Radar Sensor Test Bed Program. March 10, 1997
• THERMIONICS AND SPACE BASED NUCLEAR POWER [Commerce Business Daily: Posted March 7, 1997] The Defense Special Weapons Agency (DSWA) plans to explore potential areas of interest with International Energy Technologies (INERTEK) in space based nuclear power and thermionics.
• Missile Defense System Fails Fourth Test. Lockheed Martin Stock Falls Amid Doubts About $17 Billion Project By John Mintz Washington Post Staff Writer Friday, March 7 1997; Page G01 The Washington Post
• Thaad missile misses mark for a 4th time Lockheed project faces `restructuring,' Pentagon official says; $16.7 billion undertaking; Congress has pushed for fielding system as soon as possible The Baltimore Sun 3/07/97
• PENTAGON/MISSILE TEST INTRO: THE PENTAGON IS REPORTING ANOTHER SETBACK IN ITS EFFORT TO DEVELOP A DEFENSE AGAINST SHORT AND MEDIUM-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILES. AN INTERCEPTOR MISSILE MISSED ITS TARGET IN A CRUCIAL TEST FLIGHT IN NEW MEXICO IN THE FOURTH CONSECUTIVE TEST FAILURE. VOA'S DAVID GOLLUST HAS DETAILS FROM THE PENTAGON. Voice of America, DAVID GOLLUST, PENTAGON, 3/6/97
• INTERCEPT NOT ACHIEVED DURING THAAD TEST The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization and the U.S. Army said today that a Theater High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile attempted to hit a target ballistic missile in a test at White Sands Missile Range, NM. DOD News Release Reference Number: No. 105-97 March 6, 1997
• This dog won't hunt!!! The Army's Theater High Altitude Area Defense [THAAD] interceptor marked another milestone in a test series thus far unblemished by success, when it [as usual] missed a target at the White Sands Missile range in the fourth attempt to actually hit something. 06 March 1997
• SPACE BASED INFRARED SYSTEMS LOW SEGMENT CALL FOR INDUSTRY COMMENTS Space Based Infrared Systems (SBIRS) Program Office, Advanced Programs Division, is seeking aerospace industry inputs for a SBIRS Industry Day. [Commerce Business Daily: Posted March 04, 1997]
• Editorial: Don't Scrimp On Testing For Missile Defenses " ... there is a potential weak link in the chain of development, evaluation and deployment, and that is testing. Budget realities and the high cost of firing scores of interceptors against targets have forced test teams to rely heavily on computer-based testing." Aviation Week & Space Technology, 03 March 1997
• DOD Contract News Raytheon Systems Development Co., Marlborough, Mass., is being awarded a $44,326,781 cost plus award fee contract to provide for acquisition of the National Air and Space (Warfare) Model (NASM). Release Number: No. 100-97 March 3, 1997
• SSDC and TRADOC sign MOA SSDC News Release On February 18, 1997, the commanding general of the Training and Doctrine Command, General William W. Hartzog and the commander of the U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command, Lieutenant General Edward G. Anderson III signed a memorandum of agreement to recognize SSDC as the Army's specified proponent for space and missile defense. The MOA also permits SSDC to establish the Space and Missile Defense Battle Lab. Prepared 3 March 1997
• Two Successful Suborbital Rocket Launches The Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) and the U.S. Army Space and Strategic Defense Command (SSDC) announced two successful completions of suborbital rocket launches under the Theater Missile Defense (TMD) Critical Measurements Program (TCMP). The flight tests took place on February 22 and March 1 from Wake Island to the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll missile range in the mid-Pacific. SSDC News Release, Gerda Sherrill, Prepared 3 Mar 97
• THAAD Radar Test Successful at Kwajalein MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS US Army Program Executive Office Air and Missile Defense Public Affairs Office, Huntsville AL [ 205-842-0558 - Ms Trousdale], 28 Feb 1997
• THAAD Test Scrubbed Due to Weather MEMORANDUM FOR CORRESPONDENTS US Army Program Executive Office Air and Missile Defense Public Affairs Office, Huntsville AL [ 205-842-0558 - Ms Trousdale], 28 Feb 1997
• LOW COST CRUISE MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAM STUDIES ANNOUNCED Feb.18, 1997 - Texas Instruments, Dallas, Texas (contract amount: $1,076,926); Boeing North American, Anaheim, Calif. (contract amount: $182,485); and Toyon Research Corporation, Goleta, Calif. (contract amount: $848,501), will each conduct a 12-month effort.
• CONTRACTS - Nichols Research Corporation Nichols Research Corporation, Huntsville, Ala., is being awarded a $14,045,435 face value increase to a cost plus award fee contract to provide for engineering, analysis and design support for the Air Force Ballistic Missile Defense Program Office. Contract Number: No. 034-97, January 24, 1997
• NAVY INTERCEPTS THEATER BALLISTIC MISSILE, ACCELERATES TBMD PROGRAM Reference Number: No. 037-97, January 24, 1997
• EKV Fails The latest word from BMDO is that the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle [EKV] was not launched from Kwajalein due to a computer failure with the Payload Launch Vehicle [PLV].
• Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle (EKV) Department of Defense, Public Affairs Memorandum: No. 005-M, January 17, 1997
• MSLS LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL Release Number 97-0107, Vandenberg Air Force Base, January 16, 1997
• MSLS-2 Launched on scheduleThe MSLS target vehicle, a converted Minuteman-2 ICBM, was successfully launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California at 8:15 PM EST Thursday 16 Jan 97
• US Navy Intercepts Target Missile CDISS News and Views - January 1997
• NMD Flight Tests Resume January 13, 1997
• US Awards Airborne Laser Contract CDISS News and Views - November 1996

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