The United States continues to gradually deploy missile defense. The Pentagon's missile defense report, reflecting the updated military-technical policy in this area, showed that missile defense today has the highest priority for the national security of the United States. According to the report, future efforts of the military department will acquire a vector of capacity building to counter regional missile threats. All the forces and assets that will be deployed in the regions will join the global missile defense system, which was created for the continental defense of the United States. Particular attention is paid to the development of new means of intercepting missile weapons, where the development of means of intercepting ICBMs is in the first place.
The American missile defense agency is actively searching for and researching the interception of ballistic objects in the early stages of their flight - at the beginning of the middle or at the end of active areas. Since 2009, the agency has been experimenting with information management tools using emerging technologies. Possible development options were calculated and modeled. The result of the research is two programs that were adopted and received funding from the budget of the agency itself in 2011:
- AirBorne InfraRed - development of means of detection and tracking of infrared-type ballistic objects for basing on aircraft;
- Precision Tracking Space System - creation of space-based tracking facilities.
- in addition to these programs, the newest sea-based radars will be put into operation at the test range in the Pacific Ocean - Cobra Judy-2 and XTR-1.
AirBorne InfraRed
As the modeling showed, the infrared means installed on aircraft, having become part of the information component of missile defense, will increase the ability to track ballistic objects of advanced AN / TPY-2 radars. Prior to the adoption of the AirBorne InfraRed program, it was planned to commission one or two additional stations for these purposes. The ABM Agency is creating a separate subdivision, which, together with the aviation and navy, began to exercise control over the implementation of the AirBorne InfraRed program.
To implement the program and conduct tests, we chose an optoelectronic system manufactured by Raytheon - Multi-spectral Targeting Sensor. The system was installed on the Reaper MQ-9 drones, in front, at the bottom of the fuselage. The drones were used in the Pacific missile defense tests. From official statements it became known that the detection of targets by the system took place at a distance of up to 1200 kilometers, and it made it possible to monitor the separation of the stages of ballistic missiles. These tests were considered successful, which speaks in favor of the implementation of this program and the use of optoelectronic systems for missile defense installed on aircraft.
Further testing of the system will take place this year, both on the ground and in the air. The result of the tests will be the clarification of tasks for the system for:
- target detection by control center from space-based systems;
- target detection and tracking by their ionization trail;
- processing of the trajectory and parameters of ballistic objects, obtained from several sources, with high speed and accuracy for counter-launching of anti-missiles;
- supply of the necessary information to interceptors using the combat control system.
Speaking before the Senate Commission when discussing the APRO internal budget for this year, Lieutenant General P. O'Reilly noted that the program's tasks include the creation of a universal unit with hardware and software, which will allow it to be installed on any airborne vehicle.
The approximate composition of the block:
- a container with sensors installed in it;
- control system for sensors;
- encryption system;
- information transmission system;
- internal information storage system;
- main and additional software;
Airlines producing various types of drones, such as Northrop-Grumman and Boeing, offered the agency to use their ready-made and projected drones for the carriers of the system. It is already known that a number of changes have been made to the "Multi-spectral Targeting Sensor" optoelectronic system. They will be handled by Raytheon and one of the laboratories of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition to the software, the sensor control system will be worked out. It is known that further tests of the AirBorne InfraRed will take place on the Reaper drones. Single and group targets will be processed by the system. An imitation of the use of an anti-missile shipborne missile "Standard-3" will also be carried out, using the control unit from the system under test.
This year will host:
- checking the development of the system for preliminary target designation;
- testing of new sensors;
- remote control systems;
- target recognition will be carried out on different ranges.
Next year, the final tests of the system will take place:
- Test No. 1 - demonstration of the possibility of hitting a ballistic target with an anti-missile "Standard-3" according to the data obtained from the trajectory of the target from "AirBorne InfraRed";
- test number 2 - testing the data output of the missile defense control system to increase the capabilities of target recognition;
- test number 3 - demonstration of the capabilities of the system when detecting group targets.
In 2011, the program was financed for $ 111.6 million, and by 2016 they are going to spend a little more than $ 200 million on the program.
Precision Tracking Space System
According to the preliminary draft of this program, it is planned to create spacecraft to accompany ballistic missiles in the active phase of the flight, ballistic objects in the last phases of the flight. These devices will be small and less expensive than their predecessors. The task of these devices will not include recording the launch of ballistic missiles, they will receive this data from other components of the missile defense system. The quantitative composition of these devices will be determined by 2015. The spacecraft of the "Precision Tracking Space System" program will operate in conjunction with a sea-based missile defense component, therefore, specialists from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Hopkins University entered the control department. These devices will be included in the sphere of influence of the Air Force.
At this hour, an analysis of existing and promising technologies is underway, a TTZ for the system is being created, companies are selected that will begin to create the system. This year, the preliminary design phase of all subsystems included in the Precision Tracking Space System program will end. It is expected that the first prototype of the future spacecraft will be ready by early 2015. In 2011, the program was funded in the amount of $ 70 million, and by 2016 funding is planned in the amount of $ 1.3 billion.
X-band instrumentation radar XTR-1
The X-band transportable radar was created according to the open architecture by the laboratory of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the missile defense agency on the concept of creating mobile-type instrumental radars for missile defense testing. Ground tests were carried out in 2008. To support the Pacific missile defense tests in 2010, it was installed on the Pacific Tracker ship.
Cobra Judy-2
Sea-based radar "Cobra Judy-2" is created to replace the radar created according to the previous program "Cobra Judy Replacement". The technical project was developed in 2006 by the Raytheon company. The design of the radar remains the same - an X-band station and an S-band station. The X-band station was built by Raytheon, and the S-band station by Northrop-Grumman, according to a contract with Raytheon.
The radars were going to be installed in 2008 on the T-AGM-25 Howard O. Lorensen ship under construction. In 2011, the ship was launched. The ship is currently being tested. This year, a radar station should be installed on the ship and tests should be completed. In total, about one billion dollars were spent on the creation of the radar.
Outcomes
It is obvious that the United States is actively working in the field of information and reconnaissance means for missile defense. Now the main task of the missile defense agency is to ensure full interaction of the means of the information component with each other. They differ greatly in the principles of work and composition, which forces the agency to attract the latest achievements in the creation of funds in various fields, the implementation of which requires huge funding, which negatively affects the timing of programs.
