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>> Today Russia made public its new National Security Strategy, in which it expressed hope in building a partnership with the U.S., while criticizing our plans to build missile defense shields in Poland and the Czech Republic. Russia also criticized NATO, citing the international alliance as a security threat. (Voice of America)

>> The Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance will hold a briefing to discuss new polling data regarding America’s response to U.S. missile defense and President Barack Obama’s recent missile defense statements and proposals for missile defense funding. The briefing will occur tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. at the National Press Club. (PRNewswire)

>> U.S. defense contractor Boeing is moving its missile defense headquarters from Arlington, Virginia, to Huntsville, Alabama, which bears the nickname “Rocket City.” Boeing will bring 50 jobs as it heads west.

Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce member Mike Ward said, “I think its reflected in what you see the Army do here, but what you also see with the missile defense agency locating most of its resources here…Anyone involved in missile defense from the corporate side is obviously paying attention to what the missile defense agency, and Army are doing here.” (WHNT.com)

>> A spacecraft called Space Tracking and Surveillance System Advanced Technology Risk Reduction mission launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base earlier this week, along with a spacecraft for the Missile Defense Agency. Launch director for the NASA’s Launch Services Program Chuck Dovale said, “With confirmation of the payload’s delivery into the correct orbit, the launch is a success,” said Chuck Dovale, launch director for the NASA’s Launch Services Program.” (Aero-News Network)

 
On Tuesday, we blogged about the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) successfully shooting down a missile during a simulated attack. The missile was tracked and intercepted by a kill vehicle 25 minutes after launch. This was the eighth success of the ground-based system in 13 tests since 1999.

SPX reports that defense contractor Raytheon’s components had “key roles in the destruction of a ballistic missile target” during the simulation. Raytheon built the Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicle, which intercepted the missile.

Raytheon Missile Systems president Dr. Taylor W. Lawrence said, “”This highly successful test of the GMD system once again demonstrates Raytheon’s commitment to performance and reliability…We continue to prove the maturity of our kill vehicle technology and our ability to provide this critical capability to the nation.”

The inceptor, fired from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, hit its target, which was launched from Kodiak Island in Alaska.

Last March, Vandenberg dedicated a missile launch observation platform in honor of former President Ronald Reagan, who commenced the Strategic Defense Initiative. The memorial features a bronze bust of Reagan and a plaque honoring him.

In his 1983 “Star Wars” speech, Reagan emphasized the need for ground and space-based systems to intercept ballistic missiles. His initiative was the forerunner of the MDA.

 
A Chimera target launch vehicle rocket successfully launched from an underground silo at Vandenberg Air Force Base yesterday morning. The purpose of the launch was to help the military closely track missiles and provide an opportunity for a Near Field Infrared Experiment (NFIRE) satellite to collect boosting rocket images in order to understand missile exhaust plume observations and plume-to-rocket body discrimination.

1st Lt. Jodie Pleisch, a NFIRE project manager from the 1st Air and Space Test Squadron, said the goal was to “get this vehicle as close to possible to the satellite during its third-stage burn phase. From there, the satellite will gather data on the rocket plume.”

When describing the difficulty of hitting a specific point at a specific time, she analogized it to “threading a needle.” Team V launched the Chimera and successfully delivered it to the target.

The missile defense mission continues.