High hitters.

The US Army's Air and Missile Defense Operations FM 44-100 manual cites, << Fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters are still formidable threats, however, the trend is toward the proliferation of unmanned systems: ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and rockets >>. Long-range surface-to-air missile systems provide the critical component of the US Army's air and missile defence capability.

The Raytheon Mim-104 Patriot low-to-high altitude surface-to-air (Sam) missile system is considered, << the world's only battle-proven theater AMD system and will be a key AMD element for the next two decades >>, as mentioned in the 2007 US Army Modernisation Plan, published in March. Since production began in 1980 American manufacturers have built more than 170 launchers and over 9000 missiles for the US Army and eight export customers.

A Patriot battery typically consists of a trailer-mounted phased-array radar, a truck-mounted engagement control station, a power plant truck and two firing platoons each equipped with four trailer-mounted launchers. Expedited into service during the 1990-91 Iraq War the Patriot Advanced Capability Phase 2 (Pac-2) missile was optimised for ballistic missile engagement unlike the original Mim-105A Standard missile, which was intended only for use against aircraft. The Patriot achieved 70% success against Scud-type missiles targeted against Saudi Arabia, although this fell to 40% against missiles launched against Israel. A comprehensive improvement programme was initiated after the conflict to improve the Patriot's ballistic missile defence (BMD) capability.

The most important elements of this improvement programme were the introduction of two new missiles. The Guidance Enhanced Missile Plus (Gem+) provides an upgraded capability to defeat air-breathing cruise and ballistic missile threats. The Pac-3 programme introduces significant upgrades to the phased-array radar set and the ECS as well as fielding the more capable Pac-3 missile which uses a smaller 'hit-to-kill' warhead instead of the large fragmentation warhead used on the Pac-2 and Gem missiles. Although the Pac-3 missile is as long as the Pac-2 it is thinner and weighs 70% less, enabling 16 Pac-3 missiles to be loaded on a launcher replacing the current four Pac-2s. Reversing an earlier plan to operate both Pac-2 and Pac-3 missiles the US Army has decided to implement a Pure Fleet Plan intended to bring its 13 Patriot battalions to the Pac-3 configuration by the end of fiscal year 2009 (FY09). On 12 March Raytheon announced it had received a $ 38.6 million contract for test equipment upgrades and engineering as the first step in upgrading a further three Patriot battalions (twelve fire units) to the Pac-3 configuration. The following week Lockheed Martin announced that it had been awarded a $ 376 million contract from the US Army Aviation and Missile Command for 112 Pac-3 missiles, launcher modification kits, spares and other equipment, as well as programme management and engineering services.

To remedy deficiencies with the Patriot identified during Operation Iraqi Freedom the army will begin implementing the last of nine capability upgrades this year, which includes upgraded air-to-ground communications, enhanced software affecting classification, identification friend or foe (IFF) operation, Link-16 joint range extension, embedded data recorder replacement, a radar shroud monitor, battery command post acceleration, upgrades to AMD training centres and software-driven improvements in training scenarios to address spurious tracks and track correlation. In parallel a Patriot recapitalisation programme funded through FY10 is intended to bring the army's Patriot systems to a 'zero-miles/zero-hours' state with work expected to continue through FY13.

Japan deployed the Pac-3 at an air base near Tokyo at the end of March, a year earlier than originally planned, and by the end of FY10 intends to have the system operational at ten other bases. Concerned about the threat of North Korean missiles the Japanese government decided in December 2003 to spend up to one trillion yen ($ 8.5 billion) to field a missile defence system. The first batch of Pac-3 missiles was imported from the United States but subsequent missiles will be produced by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The Pac-3 is the inner layer of Japan's missile defence shield with the outer layer provided by US Navy Aegis-equipped ships stationed at Yokosuka Naval Base and four Japanese Kongo class destroyers which are also fitted with the Aegis system and are being refitted so to operate the improved SM-3 missile. Japan is also contributing $1.2 billion toward the estimated $ 2.7 billion for developing a new sea-based interceptor in co-operation with the US.

Thaad

In US Army service the Pac-3 is intended to form the lower tier of the service's theater BMD system with the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system (Thaad), which will provide the upper tier from 2010. While the Pac-3 has a range of 20 km the Thaad is intended to engage targets at ranges beyond 200 km and at altitudes as high as 150,000 metres. The Thaad was designed to be a mobile system to protect forward-deployed forces, population centres and high-value civilian assets from short- and medium-range ballistic missiles. Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control is the prime contractor for the Thaad missile and launcher system while Raytheon is the prime for the associated Theatre Missile Defense--Ground-Based Radar.

The eight-canister missile launcher is mounted on an Oshkosh 10 x 10 Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck equipped with an automatic Load Handling System to load the missiles. Although other components of the Thaad system are small enough to be moved by a C-130 Hercules tactical transport aircraft the size of the Thaad launcher requires that it be moved by a C-17 Globemaster III or C-5 Galaxy strategic transport. The Thaad missile interceptor is comprised of a single-stage booster and a kinetic kill warhead. It travels at a speed of 2000 metres/sec. The Thaad system uses a solid-state, phased array, X-band radar. It performs search, track and target discrimination, and transmits updated target information to the missile in flight. The battle management components are mounted in hardened shelters carried on High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles.

Following a series of failures during the initial flight test programme between April 1995 and August 1999 the Thaad development programme was extended and flight testing did not resume until November 2005. The four tests since then have been described as successful; in July 2006 a Thaad missile intercepted a Hera target and this achievement was repeated in late January. Fourteen tests are planned for the new series.

The army is planning to buy up to 100 Thaad launchers, 18 radars and 1422 missiles sufficient to equip two Thaad battalions each with four batteries. In December 2006 Lockheed Martin received a $619.2 million cost-plus-incentive-fee/ cost-plus-award-fee contract for the first two Thaad fire units, which includes 48 interceptors, six launchers and two fire control and communication units and in February Raytheon received a $ 20 million cost-plus-fixed-fee modification contract that could increase to $ 212.2 million to manufacture, deliver and integrate the radar component. The army expects to field its first Thaad fire unit in FY09 followed by a second the next year.

Meads

In the next decade the Medium Extended Air Defence System (Meads) is intended to enter US service to 'provide joint lower-tier air defence, missile defence and cruise missile defence for manoeuvre forces and other critical forward-deployed assets throughout all phases of tactical operations'. Meads is designed to replace US Army Patriot systems, Patriot and Hawk systems in Germany and Italy's vintage Nike Hercules. The US is funding 58% of the project, Germany 25% and Italy 17%. The multinational Meads International joint venture, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, comprises MBDA-Italia, Eads and LFK (Lenkflugkorpersysteme) in Germany, and Lockheed Martin.

The Meads fire unit will feature a launcher capable of firing up to twelve missiles, a missile re-loader, an ultra-high-frequency surveillance radar that provides 360[degrees] coverage and near- to long-range detection of multiple low-radar, cross-section targets and two X-band multi-function fire control radars that provide 360[degrees] coverage and are designed for short-range target detection and horizon search, discrimination capabilities and high-precision handover to the in-flight missile. Rapid deployment is an important requirement, and all Meads components are expected to be able to roll on and off a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. Weight reduction is one of the major challenges facing the design team and will be examined at a preliminary design review scheduled for May. The critical design review for Meads is scheduled for September 2009.

During the $ 3.5 billion design and development phase Meads International will finalise equipment design and complete integration with other air and missile defence systems. The 110-month contract, awarded in May 2005, covers nine flight tests and should lead to the introduction of the system in Italy and Germany in 2012 and fielding in the US in 2014.

In 2003 the US Army merged the management, development and fielding of the Patriot and Meads projects into a 'Combined Aggregate Program' to achieve an evolutionary approach by incrementally inserting Meads major end items into the current Patriot system. While the Pac-3 Cost Reduction Initiative missile is the baseline weapon for the project the US Army is developing the Missile Segment Enhancement (MSE) missile to equip its Meads and Patriot batteries. Compared to the current Pac-3 missile the MSE will incorporate a higher performance solid rocket motor, modified lethality enhancer, more responsive control surfaces, upgraded guidance software and insensitive munitions improvements. The army plans to incorporate the MSE improvements into Pac-3 missile production from FY10.

Arrow

The Patriot Pac-3 is used as the lower tier of Israel's BMD system with the Arrow taking the upper tier. Israel and the United States launched the development of the Arrow in 1988 to protect Israel from perceived threats from Iran, Iraq and Syria. The Arrow programme is managed by the Israel Missile Defense Organization (IMDO) in close co-operation with the US Missile Defense Agency (MDA) with Israel Aerospace Industries/MLM Division as the prime contractor and Boeing as the major subcontractor. The United States funded 80% of the original development cost with Israel covering the remainder and more than $ 2.5 billion has been spent on the project to date with some $ 800 million planned for improvements over the next several years including enhancement integration with American land- and sea-based missile systems.

Three Arrow batteries have been ordered, with the first deployed at Palmahim near Tel Aviv in 1999. A standard battery consists of:

* four six-missile trailer-mounted launchers

* a truck-mounted launch control centre

* a truck-mounted communications centre

* a trailer-mounted fire control centre

* a trailer-mounted L-Band EL/M-2080 Green Pine radar

* a trailer-mounted radar control centre

* a radar power generator and radar cooling unit; both mounted on trailers.

The Green Pine radar, developed by IAI subsidiary Elta Electronics, is capable of detecting targets travelling at speeds in excess of 3000 metres/sec at ranges of 500 km and guiding the interceptor missile to within four metres of the target. The Arrow-2 missile, which was first test launched on 30 July 1995, is a two-stage missile carrying a high-explosive blast fragmentation warhead. It is capable of intercepting targets at altitudes of between 8000 and 50,000 metres out to a maximum range of 70,000 metres.

In late 2005 the Israel Defence Force received its first Arrow-2 missiles produced jointly by IAI and Boeing and IMDO officials said that production would reach a rate of five missiles each month. In February 2007 an Arrow-2 successfully intercepted a Black Sparrow target, representing an Iranian Shihab-3 carrying a nuclear warhead, launched from an F-15 fighter over the Mediterranean. On 26 March an Arrow-2 was launched from the Palmahim base to test engineering improvements to the system. Israeli newspapers quoted IDF sources as saying the next test of the Arrow would involve the interception of a 'barrage' of incoming missiles.

Magic Wand

The MDA and IMDO announced in May 2006 the selection of Rafael and Raytheon for the Short Range Missile Defense (SRMD) programme, known to Israel as 'Magic Wand', to develop a system to defend against short-range ballistic missiles and long-range rockets with ranges of 70 to 200 km. The system will use the Stunner missile, which will be based on the Rafael Python dual-wave imaging infrared technology and Raytheon's advanced tactical missile technology. According to Raytheon the cost of a Stunner will be about one-sixth the cost of the $ three million Pac-3 missile. Raytheon selected Alliant Techsystems (ATK) to develop the booster motor for the Stunner. An artist's impression prepared by ATK shows the Stunner being fired from a Meads launcher. The Short Range Missile Defense feasibility study now underway will be followed by an 18-month risk reduction stage, which is expected to lead to initial operational capability by 2011.

Aster

The Eurosam Forward Surface-to-Air Family (Fsaf) of missiles includes the Sol Air Moyenne Portde Terrestre (Samp-T, Ground-to-Air Medium-Range -Land) system being developed for use by French and Italian armies. The British, French and Italian navies are equipping their new generation warships with the Aster 15 short-to-medium-range and Aster 30 long-range missiles. The Aster has been exported for naval service to Saudi Arabia and Singapore. The Samp-T will be the last Fsaf element to enter service. A typical battery will consist of a truck-mounted Arabel 360[degrees] multi-function radar, a truck-mounted engagement module for command and control and four to six 6 x 6 truck-mounted launchers armed with up to eight vertically launched Aster 30 missiles. All elements of the Samp-T are designed to roll on and off a C-130. The two-stage Aster 30 missile is able to engage targets at altitudes up to 20 km and at ranges between 3 and 100 km for aircraft and 25 km for missiles. It is fitted with a 15-kg high explosive blast fragmentation warhead with a proximity fuze. Each launcher can prepare two missiles for sequential launch within ten seconds of a target being detected and a battery of eight launchers can have up to 16 missiles in flight. On 14 November 2006 an Aster 30 successfully intercepted a target representing a self-screening-jamming aircraft in what was described as the last Samp-T 'firing test against conventional targets' and clears the way for evaluation by France and Italy. The French Air Force plans to order six Samp-T batteries to replace its Crotale short-range air-defence systems while the French Army intends to order six batteries to replace its Hawk missiles and the Italian Army also plans to order six.

S-Series

According to senior Russian defence officials the new S-400 Triumf low-to-high-altitude Sam will become operational with the Russian Air Force in July. The military hopes that the 35 air defence regiments now operating the older S-200 and S-300 systems will be equipped with the S-400; but whether Russia can afford such an ambitious project remains to be seen. In early March General Vladimir Mikhailov said a 'fifth-generation' system would be developed that, << will undoubtedly inherit the best features of the S-300 and S-400 systems but will be designed using advanced technology >>. The S-400E export version has not yet been approved for sales abroad.

The Almaz/Antey Concern of Air Defence Development began development of the S-300P in 1967 leading to operational deployment in 1978. More than 1900 towed and self-propelled launchers were produced for Russia alone. The S-300PMU/PMU1/PMU2 export variants have been sold to 14 countries including Algeria, China, Greece, India and Iran. The 48N6 missile has a range between 5000 and 150,000 metres and is able to engage targets at altitudes between 10,000 and 27,000 metres.

Almaz/Antey began work on the S-400 in 1993 when a presidential decree directed that Russia produce a system capable of detecting and destroying aircraft with low radar cross sections, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. Fakel developed the 9M96 family of medium-to-long range missiles equipped with active radar seekers for the S-400 with a launcher able to carry four canisters each with four missiles. The system can also use the 48N63 missile developed for the S-300PMU-1 and the 48N6E2 missile of the S-300PMU-2; each 48N63/48N6E2 canister carries one missile. A typical fire unit consists of one command and control vehicle with a multi-mode radar directing eight truck-mounted launchers.

China is expected to be one of the first export customers for the S-400 as it invested substantially, up to $ 500 million, according to some sources, in the development of the system. Rosoboronexport officials have said that the United Arab Emirates and Iran are potential customers.