The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command is working on a new active defense weapon system concept to enhance protection for combat forces and theater-level assets for the Force XXI Army. The mobile Tactical High Energy Laser, or THEL, weapon system would provide an innovative solution for the acquisition and close-in engagement problems associated with "dumb munitions" — a primary concern because counter-battery fire may not be an option in densely populated areas. For several years, U.S. Army SMDC has pursued development of a mobile, tactical high energy laser concept that could provide new air and missile defense capability. Numerous Department of Defense high energy laser development programs over the last 20 years have proven and demonstrated the beam generation and beam pointing technologies that support the THEL concept. Force XXI advancements in the area of real-time situational awareness now make it possible to capitalize on the prime attributes of a THEL in operational scenarios. A THEL will be able to fire with speed-of-light flyout for close-in engagements where time lines are very short. Cost will run only a few thousand dollars per kill or less, with a deep magazine to counter saturation attacks. Not only can a THEL weapon system destroy a target, but it can also degrade, disrupt, or damage. This enhances operational flexibility and effectiveness against a wide variety of air threats. A THEL system would enhance the effectiveness of the short- to medium-range air defense architecture. Demonstrated Effectiveness The effectiveness of high energy lasers against short-range rockets was tested and demonstrated in the Nautilus program, an outgrowth... ... middle of paper ... ...been initiated. Plans call for 12-18 months of field testing both in the U.S. and Israel. The THEL demonstrator will provide the first opportunity to assess the utility of high energy lasers in an operational scenario. Future Development If successful, the demonstrator may pave the way for future development of a THEL User Operational Evaluation System for use in U.S. peace keeping/contingency operations. The U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School at Fort Bliss, Texas, officially designated as the proponent for THEL by the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, will develop a mission need statement and an operational requirements statement for the initial THEL configuration. Evolving high energy laser, beam control, and digital battlefield information technologies promise to combine to form a highly effective THEL weapons system for Force XXI air defense.
...D.INFO. (1993, June 1). US Army Manuals (Field/Training Manuals). Retrieved March 25, 2012, from http://www.enlisted.info/field-manuals/fm-100-5-operations.shtml
(U) Background: Over the course of United States history the Army has made changes to how it engages its foreign enemies. These tactics techniques and procedures are the result of lessons learned during conflict, mistakes made under fire, and the results of a nation at war. As a result the IPB process has changed to accommodate a dynamic and often fluid battlefield. However this has not changed the core concept behind IPB, the four steps still remain an integral part of the Commanders Military Decision Making Process (MDMP), and are essential in war gaming. IPB assist in providing valuable Intelligence to the War Fighter throughout all phases of operations. This paper will cover each step of the IPB Process as well as discuss products associated with each of those steps and how these products can be an asset to the Commander and the War Fighter.
In today’s world, the use of airplanes in wars or in everyday life has become a part of how we live as human beings. Removing the air forces of the world is like taking a step back in time when wars were only fought on land or sea. WWI began only eleven short years after the Wright brothers achieved powered flight in 19031 and yet aircrafts were being used for surveillance and eventually combat purposes. It is understood that these aircrafts were primitive, but they laid down the foundation for what we know today as fighter jets. The Fokker Eindecker “revolutionized air combat by successfully employing a synchronized forward -firing machine gun mounted on the engine cowling”2. Because this airplane became the first to successfully use a synchronized machine gun, it allowed its pilots to become the first aerial combat tactitions3.
In Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Iraqi forces fired 93 Scud missiles at coalition forces in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Israel. (Rostker) Air Defense Artillery (ADA) played an immensely significant role in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm with units from 11th Brigade Air Defense Artillery and the 32d Air Defense Command rapidly deploying into theater. The effectiveness of the units and their roles in fighting this war proved that Air Defense Artillery was critical to the success of the campaign. Although Patriot Batteries placed strategically throughout Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Israel played a tremendous tactical role in these wars, High-Medium Air Defense (HIMAD) was not the only type of surface to air missile system in place to protect ground forces and valuable military assets. Short Range Air Defense (SHORAD) units also deployed with the air defense units. These weapon systems, integrated with ground forces, provided air defense to dominate against aircraft and Tactical Ballistic Missiles (TBM) on the front lines.
Initially designed as an anti-aircraft system, Patriot became operational in 1985. (Patriot, 2013) Patriot fires a missile from its launching station to engage an aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicle, cruise missile or a tactical ballistic missile. In 1991, Operation Desert Storm had kicked off and Patriot added missile-interception. Patriot anti-tactical ballistic missile capability phase 2 (PAC-2) had the first wartime engagement of a tactical rocket by an anti-tactical ballistic missile in history. Patriot upgraded to the PAC-3 missile that utilizes hit-to-kill technology making it over ninety percent success rate on engagements. Patriot is constantly undergoing improvements and remains one of the most sophisticated air defense technologies in the world today. (Kraus, 2000; Patriot,
What was once thought to be just science fiction is now, very close, a reality. The Electromagnetic(EM) Railgun being developed by BAE Systems for the Office of Naval Research is sure to change the landscape of future wars. From its cost effectiveness, devastating power, and a myriad of other benefits the EM Railgun is something special.
I have organized this paper into five distinct sections; mission, task organization, capabilities, limitations, and finally the conclusion. After the reading and comprehension of this paper, you should have gained a basic understanding of the Special Forces (SF) Chemical Reconnaissance Detachments (CRD). The following paper is mixed with Unclassified (UCI) and For Official Use Only (FOUO) information. FOUO is annotated at the beginning of all For Official Use Only information, the rest of the paper is UCI. If you wish to share this information paper with others, please at a minimum; confirm identity of the person prior to providing (FM 380-5, 2000). For further handling instructions please refer to FM 380-5, or contact me, I will gladly answer all questions.
It was originally assumed that the SDI program was a virtually perfect defense against a large intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, attacks, which required very competent weapons. An ICBM has three levels of flight; the boost phase, the midcourse phase, and the terminal phase. With the SDI program, a space-based directed energy, or a laser, weapon would be used to destroy ICBM’s in the boost phase. Ground-based, space-based lasers or continental weapons could be used to destroy ICBM’s in midcourse, and ground-based beam weapons and missile interceptors could be used to destroy ICBM’s in the terminal phase. But as the goals of the program have evolved toward more realistic ambitions, the requirements for highly competent weapons diminished. Therefore, the initial focus on space-based directed energy weapons gradually shifted toward interest in ground-based kinetic energy weapons.
During the Persian Gulf War of 1991 a new class of weapons made its debut and presaged a revolution in military affairs. Although precision-guided munitions (PGMs), ranging from laser-guided bombs to Tomahawk cruise missiles, represented only a fraction of the total ordinance used in Iraq, the effect they had was electric. The television footage of a bomb dropped from more than 6 miles above descending onto its target and hitting with absolute precision was at once fascinating and jarring. The Gulf War demonstrated the power that precision aerial attacks possessed. The accuracy and lethality of air launched munitions during the Gulf war was in sharp contrast to the relative crudity of aerial bombing during World War II.
There are many agencies that have the ability to perform Signals Intelligence, electronic reconnaissance and most of all signals intelligence from all available sources inducive to the environment. The United States Army uses the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) as its main entity for signals collection. The Joint STARS platform was designed to provide a highly effective, real-time, collection tool to the ground task force commanders during battlefield engagements, but for the past ten years, the sensor has been used for peacekeeping missions. Army analysts can predict the enemy’s behavior by identifying choke points, potential avenues of approach and operating patterns such as supply routes and logistical points. The analysis gives the ground commander a more complete view of the enemy’s weaknesses. The United States Air Force employs the Joint STARS in a different mission than the Army. The Air Force uses Joint STARS as a battlefield management tool versus a collection tool as used for by the Army. The Air Force uses the platform to provide immediate and direct support to the Air Component Commander and continue to observe the enemy’s movement from a far distance in the sky. Providing essential data to commanders such as size, direction, and speed of the adversaries, with minimum casualties while under battlefield conditions, makes the Joint STARS an extremely effective tool. The Air Force also employs the Predator vehicles, which are unmanned aerial vehicles that are used for reconnaissance.
With technology coming this far, all the way from the Cobra to the Supercobra, modern militaries have their new favorite weapon. We currently use these amazing machines in combat ranging from the dead of night to the heat of the front lines. We can truly rely on the development of AH-1 due to all the lives it has saved and all those to come. The AH-1 will continue to serve our nation and keep our troops safe in all times of need.
At the end of this development, we find the missiles. They now unite all features and we can even guide them to their target.
The U.S. army has come up with a digital warfare system called Army Battle Command System. This system can scan digital street maps, monitor enemy positions, zoom in on individual buildings through satellite imagery and download instructions from commanders. The Army Battle Command System has been but in to a hand full of Humvees in Iraq. This technology was originally designed for battlefield combat which was tanks and helicopters, but now they have found that it is much more useful for hunting rebel leaders and trailing street fighters.
For the last decade the U.S government has been engaged in fighting terrorists with basic infantry weapons so the US department of defense can use this to shield their defensive vehicles and equipment. It will effect military departments because they will use this technology to make more advance defense equipment to protect themselves from enemy.
military to use satellites as a weapon. The new ION cannon is a satellite that