By Ann Roosevelt
Missile defenses would receive $9.9 billion under the administration’s fiscal year 2011 budget request released yesterday, including $8.4 billion for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
Boeing [BA], Lockheed Martin [LMT], Northrop Grumman [NOC] and Raytheon [RTN] are the major contractors on missile defense programs.
The Ballistic Missile Defense Review, also released yesterday, supports policy priorities including: defending the United States against limited ballistic missile attacks, defending against regional missile threats to U.S. forces, allies and partners, rigorously testing new capabilities before they are deployed, and deploying fiscally sustainable defenses that are “adaptable and flexible” to adjust to future threats, and expanding international efforts.
The review said work would be done to align missile defense capabilities with the administration’s new adaptive approach to ballistic missile defense (BMD). This has resulted in increased investment and focus on regional BMD capabilities that can defend against existing short- and medium-range ballistic missiles threats. This new approach puts in place missile defenses, including sensors, interceptors, and command and control systems that are tailored to individual regions and allows the United States to seek out opportunities for international cooperation, the report said.
In FY ’11, the budget requests that three additional Aegis ships receive upgrades to the Aegis Weapon Systems, and research, development, test and evaluation will continue to support the manufacture of 30 SM-3 Block 1B missiles for testing. Procurement funds will start production of eight SM-3 Block IB missiles.
Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the Aegis Weapon System; Raytheon produces the SM-3 Interceptor.
The budget includes development, testing, fielding and sustainment of THAAD components. An extensive unit training program will continue. Two units have been fielded, and the budget has funds to continue the purchase of Battery 3 and adds the purchase of batteries 4 and 5. Missile manufacture will increase from three to four a month, and testing will be done at Kwajalein Atoll to allow engagements of longer-range targets.
The Patriot PAC-3 program in FY’11 will continue procurement of 78 PAC-3 missiles and 12 Electronic Launcher Enhanced Systems (ELES) launchers capable of firing the PAC-3 missile. The budget also provides for testing and procurement of the latest Patriot system software upgrade. Lockheed Martin produces the PAC-3.
Work will continue in FY ’11 in the Medium Extended Air Defense System for research, development, testing and integration of the Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) program with the Patriot system. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor on this work. The program continues the cooperative Patriot/MEADS Memorandum of Understanding with Germany and Italy for the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the program by continuing the design and development of the system and completing the Critical Design Review. Provides for the assessment of the MEADS performance against the United States threat, testing and development for modifications, and the planned transition from development and sustainment for the Ground-based Missile Defense System continues in FY ’11. This will include the deployment of 26 ground-based interceptors at Ft. Greely, Alaska, and four such interceptors at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The budget request also provides the improvement and expansion of the GBI fleet, including an additional five GBIs with upgraded avionics to support a new test program and Stockpile Reliability Program. It will complete Missile Field 2 in a 14-silo configuration by FY 2012. Boeing is the prime contractor.
The Airborne Laser (ABL) program is transitioning to MDA’s directed energy research program. The existing ABL aircraft will be used in the National Laser Test program, which will also be the venue for other integrated laser weapon system demonstrations, budget documents said.
Last year, Defense Secretary Robert Gates proposed a $1.2 billion cut to MDA funding, focused on longer term technologies and the ABL.