Possible Land-Attack Cruise Missile Launch Scheduled for Next Week

The 7 Feet Beneath the Keel Blog is reporting that the Russians may be conducting a cruise missile launch over the Barents Sea Dec 8-10.

The blog reports while the launch platform is not yet known, there are at least two candidates, both of which are armed with the SS-N-30 land-attack cruise missile (range: 800nm-1,400nm, depending on the warhead payload):
Severodvinsk-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine "Severodvinsk"
Kilo-class diesel submarine "Novorossiysk", which arrived in Polyarnyy last month

For my Russian UDXF monitor friends it will be interesting to see if any VLF/MF/HF traffic is associated with this launch.

Report: North Korea Fires Four Short-Range Missiles

The South Koreans are reporting that North Korea fired off four short-range missiles today. "South Korea says North Korea has fired four suspected short-range missiles into its eastern waters," reports the Associated Press.

A Defense Ministry official said North Korea fired four projectiles believed to be short-range missiles with a range of more than 200 kilometers (about 125 miles) into the waters off its east coast. The official spoke anonymously citing department rules.

North Korea routinely conducts short-range missile tests but Thursday's launch came three days after South Korea and the U.S. began their annual military drills which Pyongyang calls a rehearsal for invasion. North Korea has recently eased tension by taking a series of conciliatory gestures toward South Korea..

North Korea Launches a Unha-3 and what into orbit?

North Korea successfully launched a Unha-3 three stage rocket on Wednesday from its west coast launch site. The rocket, which North Korea says put a weather satellite into orbit, has been labeled by the United States, South Korea and Japan as a test of technology that could one day deliver a nuclear warhead capable of hitting targets as far away as the continental United States.

"The satellite has entered the planned orbit," a North Korean television news reader clad in traditional Korean garb announced, after which the station played patriotic songs with the lyrics "Chosun (Korea) does what it says."

The Unha-3 rocket fired just before 9:49 a.m. local time (0049 GMT), and was detected heading south by a South Korean destroyer patrolling the Yellow Sea. Japanese officials said the first rocket stage fell into the Yellow Sea west of the Korean Peninsula; a second stage fell into the Philippine Sea hundreds of kilometers (miles) farther south.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), later confirmed that "initial indications are that the missile deployed an object that appeared to achieve orbit," the first time an independent body has verified North Korean claims.

USSTRATCOM statement on N-Korea launch
NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs
http://www.norad.mil/News/2012/121112b.html 
December 11, 2012

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. - North American Aerospace Defense Command officials acknowledged today that U.S. missile warning systems detected and tracked the launch of a North Korean missile at 7:49 p.m. EST. The missile was tracked on a southerly azimuth. Initial indications are that the first stage fell into the Yellow Sea. The second stage was assessed to fall into the Philippine Sea. Initial indications are that the missile deployed an object that appeared to achieve orbit. At no time was the missile or the resultant debris a threat to North America.

North Korea's rocket launches

Dec 2012: North Korea launches three-stage rocket, says it successfully put a satellite into orbit; US defense officials confirm object in orbit.

Apr 2012: Three-stage rocket explodes just after take-off, falls into sea.

Apr 2009: Three-stage rocket launched; North Korea says it was a success, US says it failed and fell into the sea.

Jul 2006: North Korea test-fires a long-range Taepdong-2 missile; US said it failed shortly after take-off.

U.S. warships moving to monitor North Korea's planned rocket launch

A satellite image showing North Korea's Dongchang-ri missile launch site Photo: EPA/YONHAP/GOOGLE

Reuters is reporting that the United States is shifting warships into position to track and possibly defend against a planned North Korean rocket launch while urging Pyongyang to cancel its second such attempt this year, the head of the U.S. Pacific Command said on Thursday.

"It should seem logical that we'll move them around so we have the best situational awareness," he said. "To the degree that those ships are capable of participating in ballistic missile defense, then we will position them to be able to do that."The United States and many other countries view it as a test of a long-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missile that would violate U.N. resolutions and further destabilize the Korean Peninsula. The North Korean launch attempt in April failed

Meanwhile in Japan, the order to destroy the missile should any part of it threaten to fall onto Japanese territory was issued after a meeting of the Security Council of Japan met in the morning and was informed that North Korea has begun has filling a fuel tank alongside the launch pad at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in preparation for the launch.

Japan has already deployed Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile batteries in Tokyo, as well as in Okinawa and at locations along the northern and eastern coasts facing the Korean Peninsula.

Three Japanese destroyers equipped with the advanced Aegis detect-and-destroy weapons system have been deployed in the Sea of Japan.

Pyongyang claims the launch is an attempt to put an earth-observation satellite into orbit. But analysts and foreign governments share the belief that the it is part of North Korea's development of long-range missiles.

The head of US forces in Japan, Lt. Gen. Salvatore Angelella, told reporters on Thursday that the launch threatens the stability of the region..

George Washington Stays Mission-Ready with MISSILEX

A NATO sea sparrow missile is launched from the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) to intercept a Tactical Air-Launched Decoy during surface-to-air defense training. George Washington is underway supporting security and stability in the western Pacific Ocean. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Rachel N. Hatch/Released)

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class (SW) John J. Mike, USS George Washington Public Affairs

USS GEORGE WASHINGTON, At sea (NNS) -- USS George Washington (CVN 73) successfully completed a test of its NATO Sea Sparrow Missile System (NSSMS) during an at-sea missile exercise (MISSLEX) Nov. 8.

George Washington launched the defensive, surface-to-air missile at an unmanned Tactical Air-Launched Decoy (TALD) during the training exercise, aimed at keeping the ship's weapons systems mission-ready.

"To launch a missile, GW (George Washington) has to meet a lot of operational requirements and it's not something we can do every day," said GW Combat Direction Center Officer Cmdr. Peter Walczak. "The ship was in a situation where we could have this training opportunity and we jumped at it."

The MISSILEX was based on a real-life scenario, which involved a simulated enemy aircraft flying a direct route to the ship.

"MISSILEXs are thoroughly planned and we treat them as an actual evolution," Walczak said. "The missile fired would have been the same one used in a real situation."

Although it takes mere seconds for the missile to actually launch, hours of precautionary checks are involved prior to a MISSILEX.

"The FC's (fire controlman) job is to make sure the shipboard defense systems works properly, so we have to take every step necessary to make sure all safety checks have been made," said Fire Controlman 1st Class (SW/AW) Keith Simpson, GW's NSSMS leading petty officer.

According to Simpson, MISSILEX first involves a simulated firing scenario, in which a computer ensures the missile will follow its desired path. Then, the launcher itself is checked to see that it has the ability to follow the target.

While FC's play a critical role in a MISSILEX, teamwork between departments made the evolution possible.

"Nothing is autonomous on GW. Some of the Sailors involved were in Operations Department, while others were in Combat Systems Department," Walczak said. "But, by sharing information we worked in conjunction to make sure the mission was accomplished successfully."

GW is currently participating in ANNUALEX 21G, a yearly, bilateral exercise between the U.S. military and the Japan Self Defense Force.

Commanded by Capt. David A. Lausman, GW is the flagship of the George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GW CSG), which is commanded by Rear Adm. Kevin M. Donegan. GW departed its forward-deployed port of Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan Oct. 6 on its second fall deployment as the Navy's forward-deployed carrier presence.

Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Test Successful

During exercise Stellar Avenger, the Aegis-class destroyer USS Hopper (DDG 70) launches a standard missile (SM) 3 Blk IA, successfully intercepting a sub-scale short range ballistic missile, launched from the Kauai Test Facility, Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sans, Kauai. This was the 19th successful intercept in 23 at-sea firings, for the Aegis BMD program, including the February 2008 destruction of a malfunctioning satellite above the earth's atmosphere. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)

KAUAI, Hawaii (NNS) -- In conjunction with the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), U.S. Pacific Fleet ships and crews successfully conducted the latest Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) at-sea firing event on July 30.

During this event, entitled Stellar Avenger, the Aegis BMD-equipped ship, USS Hopper (DDG 70), detected, tracked, fired and guided a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) Block (Blk) IA to intercept a sub-scale short range ballistic missile. The target was launched from the Kauai Test Facility, co-located on the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sands, Kauai. It was the 19th successful intercept in 23 at-sea firings, for the Aegis BMD Program, including the February 2008 destruction of the malfunctioning satellite above the earth's atmosphere.

Stellar Avenger was part of the continual evaluation of the certified and fielded Aegis BMD system at-sea today.

At approximately 5:40 pm(HST), 11:40 pm (EDT), a target was launched from PMRF. Three U.S. Navy Aegis BMD-equipped ships, the cruiser, USS Lake Erie (CG 70) and destroyers USS Hopper (DDG 70) and USS O'Kane (DDG 77)
detected and tracked the target with their SPY radars. Each developed fire control solutions. At 5:42 pm(HST), 11:42 pm (EDT) the crew of USS Hopper fired one SM-3 Blk IA missile. The USS Hopper's Aegis BMD Weapon System successfully guided the SM-3 to a direct body to body hit, approximately two minutes after leaving
the ship. The intercept occurred about 100 miles above the Pacific Ocean.

USS O'Kane conducted a simulated engagement of the target. USS Lake Erie, with its recently installed upgraded Aegis BMD 4.0.1 Weapons System, detected and tracked the same target.

After Stellar Avenger, the same three ships participated in the first live engineering evaluation of Aegis BMD's next system upgrade. Engineers and
ships crews recently completed installation and evaluation of an advanced version of the Aegis BMD weapon system. For the first time, the USS Lake Erie used this advanced system during a live firing to evaluate all fire control functions, including launch of a simulated SM-3 Blk IB. This is a typical step in the evaluation of any advancement in the Aegis weapon system. The USS Lake Erie will fire the new SM-3 Blk IB using this advanced weapon system in late 2010. This advanced Aegis BMD system will improve the probability of kill against advanced threats.

MDA and the U.S. Navy cooperatively manage the Aegis BMD Program. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors of Moorestown, New Jersey is the Combat System Engineering Agent (CSEA) and prime contractor for the Aegis BMD Weapon System and Vertical Launch System installed in Aegis equipped cruisers and destroyers. Raytheon Missile Systems of Tucson, Arizona is the prime contractor for the SM-3 missile and all previous variants of Standard Missile.

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) conducts missile exercises.

The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) recently conducted a missile exercise. See the story at http://www.navy.mil/swf/mmu/mmplyr.asp?id=12921

Pentagon Report on the North Korea Missile Test

A report from our Pentagon Bureau on North Korea's missile test.

N. Korea warns intercepting 'satellite' will prompt counterstrike+

PYONGYANG/BEIJING, March 9 (AP) - (Kyodo)—North Korea warned Monday that any move to intercept what it calls a satellite launch and what other countries suspect may be a missile test-firing would result in a counterstrike against the countries trying to stop it.

"We will retaliate (over) any act of intercepting our satellite for peaceful purposes with prompt counterstrikes by the most powerful military means," the official Korean Central News Agency quoted a spokesman of the General Staff of the Korean People's Army as saying.

If countries such as the United States, Japan or South Korea try to intercept the launch, the North Korean military will carry out "a just retaliatory strike operation not only against all the interceptor means involved but against the strongholds" of the countries, it said.

"Shooting our satellite for peaceful purposes will precisely mean a war," it added.

North Korea earlier announced it is preparing to put a communications satellite into space, but outside observers suspect it may in fact be a test-firing of a long-range ballistic missile.

The United States, Japan and South Korea have said that even if Pyongyang calls the launch a missile test, it would violate existing U.N. Security Council resolutions.

The same North Korean statement said the country's military will cut off communications with its South Korean counterparts during the U.S.- South Korean exercises for the duration of the exercises beginning Monday.

A separate, more rare statement by the KPA's Supreme Command was quoted by the KCNA as saying that its soldiers are under orders to be "fully combat-ready" during U.S.-South Korean military exercises beginning Monday.

The North's armed forces have been ordered to "deal merciless retaliatory blows" should there be any intrusion "into the sky and land and seas of the DPRK even an inch."

North Korea has demanded a stop to this month's U.S.-South Korean exercises, and said earlier it cannot guarantee the security of South Korean civilian airplanes flying through its territorial airspace while they are under way.

Missile Defense Flight Test Results in Successful Intercept

WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Missile Defense Agency announced today (Dec. 8) it has completed an important exercise and flight test involving a successful intercept by a ground-based interceptor missile designed to protect the United States against a limited long-range ballistic missile attack.

The flight test results will help to further refine the performance of numerous Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) elements able to provide a defense against the type of long-range ballistic missile that could be used to attack the nation with a weapon of mass destruction.

For this exercise, a threat-representative target missile was launched from Kodiak, Alaska at 3:04 p.m. (EST). This long-range ballistic target was tracked by several land- and sea-based radars, which sent targeting information to the interceptor missile. At 3:23 p.m. (EST)the ground-based interceptor was launched from the Ronald W. Reagan Missile Defense Site, located at Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB), Calif. The interceptor's exoatmospheric kill vehicle was carried into the target's predicted trajectory in space, maneuvered to the target, performed discrimination
and intercepted the threat warhead.

This was the first time an operational crew located at the alternate fire control center at Ft. Greely, Alaska remotely launched the interceptor from Vandenberg AFB. In previous interceptor launches from Vandenberg, military crews at the fire control center at Schriever AFB, Colo., remotely launched the interceptor.

The target was successfully tracked by a transportable AN/TPY-2 radar located in Juneau, Alaska, a U.S. Navy Aegis BMD ship with SPY-1 radar, the Upgraded Early Warning Radar at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., and the Sea-Based X-band radar. Each sensor sent information to the fire control system, which integrated the data together to provide the most accurate target trajectory for the interceptor.

The interceptor's exoatmospheric kill vehicle is the component that collides directly with a target warhead in space to perform a "hit to kill" intercept using only the force of the collision to totally destroy the target warhead.

Initial indications are that all components performed as designed.

Program officials will evaluate system performance based upon telemetry and other data obtained during the test.

This was the 37th successful hit-to-kill intercept of 47 attempts since 2001 for the Ballistic Missile Defense System. Operational ground-based interceptors are currently deployed at Ft. Greely, Alaska, and Vandenberg AFB, protecting the nation, and allies against ballistic missile attack.

Successful Sea-Based Missile Defense Intercept

A modified Standard Missile 2 (SM-2) Block IV interceptor is launched Thursday, June 5, 2008 from the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70) during a Missile Defense Agency test to intercept a short-range ballistic missile target. The missile intercepted the target approximately 12 miles above the Pacific Ocean 100 miles west of Kauai, Hawaii on the Pacific Missile Range Facility. This was the second successful intercept in two attempts of the sea-based terminal capability and the fourteenth overall successful test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Program. (U.S. Navy photo by the Missile Defense Agency)

Air Force Lt. Gen. Henry "Trey" Obering III, Missile Defense Agency (MDA) director, announced the successful completion of the latest flight test of the sea-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) element, conducted jointly with the U.S. Navy off the coast of Kauai, Hawaii.

The event, designated as Flight Test Maritime-14 (FTM-14), marked the fourteenth overall successful intercept, in 16 attempts, for the Aegis BMD program and the second successful intercept of a terminal phase (last few seconds of flight) target by a modified Standard Missile - 2 Block IV (SM-2 Blk IV) interceptor.

The mission was completed by the cruiser USS Lake Erie (CG 70), using the tactically-certified Aegis BMD shipboard weapon system, modified for a terminal capability, and the modified SM-2 Blk IV. This is the 35th successful terminal and midcourse defense intercept in 43 tests since 2001.

Aegis BMD is the sea-based mid-course component of the MDA's Ballistic Missile Defense System (BMDS) and is designed to intercept and destroy short to intermediate-range ballistic missile threats. In 2006, the program's role was expanded to include a sea-based terminal defense effort, using a modified version of the SM-2 Blk IV. Unlike other missile defense technologies now deployed or in development, the SM-2 Blk IV does not use "hit to kill" technology (directly colliding with the target) to destroy the target missile. Rather, it uses a blast fragmentation device that explodes in direct proximity to the target to complete the intercept and destroy the target.

At 8:13 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time (2:13 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time) a short range target was launched from a mobile launch platform 300 miles west of the Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sands, Kauai, Hawaii. Moments later, the USS Lake Erie's Aegis BMD Weapon System detected and tracked the target and developed fire control solutions.

Approximately four minutes later, the USS Lake Erie's crew fired two SM-2 Blk IV missiles, and two minutes later they successfully intercepted the target inside the earth's atmosphere, about 12 miles above the Pacific Ocean and about 100 miles west-northwest of Kauai.

FTM-14 test objectives included evaluation of: the BMDS ability to intercept and kill a short range ballistic missile target with the Aegis BMD, modified with the terminal mission capability; the modified SM-2 Blk IV missile using SPY-1 cue; and system-level integration of the BMDS.

MDA and the U.S. Navy cooperatively manage the Aegis BMD Program. Lockheed Martin Maritime Systems and Sensors of Moorestown, N.J. is the Combat System Engineering Agent and prime contractor for the Aegis BMD Weapon System and Vertical Launch System installed in Aegis equipped cruisers and destroyers. Raytheon Missile Systems of Tucson, Ariz. is the prime contractor for the SM-2 and SM-3 missile and all previous variants of Standard Missile. The SM-2 program is managed by the Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C.

Raptors conduct Hellfire missile fining

An MH-60R Seahawk assigned to the "Raptors" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 71 fires the first of four live Hellfire missiles fired by aircraft assigned to a deployable squadron. The first MH-60R squadron aircraft is replacing the SH-60B and SH-60F aircraft to combine the capabilities of the two aircraft and has the capability to deploy the AGM-114 series Hellfire missile laser-guided precision air-to-surface missile. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark A. Leonesio)