Taiwan successfully test-fires new Land Sword II Air Defense Missile System

Taiwan successfully test-fired its domestically developed Land Sword II air defense missile system on Apr. 15th from the Jiupeng Military Base in Pingtung County during Exercise Divine Bow. The test, originally scheduled for Apr. 9th, was postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions.


Photos: Taiwan MND
Continue reading “Taiwan successfully test-fires new Land Sword II Air Defense Missile System”

Lockheed Martin wins contract for Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) development

The U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) has selected Lockheed Martin to lead development and production of the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI), a vital addition to the US missile defense system. This announcement follows a competitive down-selection process that evaluated proposals from two contractors.

Artist Notional Rendering of NGI in flight. Photo credit: Lockheed Martin.

Continue reading “Lockheed Martin wins contract for Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) development”

44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team trains with M-LIDS Counter-Drone System

Soldiers from the 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team recently conducted a critical live-fire exercise at McGregor Range Complex, New Mexico, showcasing the capabilities of the M-LIDS (Mobile-Low, Slow, Small-Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat System). M-LIDS is a mobile counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) designed to detect, track, and neutralize drone threats encountered during deployments.

The 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team Base Defense Operations Center crews observed a mobile-low, slow, small, unmanned aircraft integrated defeat system live-fire to instill confidence in kinetic systems capable of shooting down one-way UAS attacks during pre-deployment Green Sands training Continental United States at McGregor Range Complex, New Mexico March 4. Unmanned aerial system attacks are an emerging threat United States Army Central seeks to counter in its two-part Green Sands training initiative. The first part, Green Sands “CONUS,” held stateside Feb. 9- Mar. 5, builds the foundation of Base Defense Operations, and the second part, Green Sands “Heavy,” is a final rehearsal held subsequently overseas.

Continue reading “44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team trains with M-LIDS Counter-Drone System”

Philippines to integrate Israeli-Made Spyder Air Defense System in Balikatan 2024

The annual Balikatan war games, conducted jointly between the Philippines and the United States, are set to witness a significant first in 2024. Colonel Michael Logico, executive agent of Balikatan 2024, confirmed the inclusion of the Spyder (Surface-to-air Python and Derby) air defense missile system in the upcoming exercises scheduled to take place in Central Luzon.

Continue reading “Philippines to integrate Israeli-Made Spyder Air Defense System in Balikatan 2024”

Project Convergence Capstone 4

Project Convergence Capstone 4 (PC-C4), a U.S. Army-led experiment, is testing the interoperability of various Joint and Multinational Layered Air and Missile Defense systems. This iteration focuses on leveraging data from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and manned aircraft to guide the engagement of ground-based missile systems against airborne threats.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Zachary Ybarra, F-35B Lightning II pilot, Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 501, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 31, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), performs aerial maneuvers during an airshow demonstration practice at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Aug. 21, 2023. VMFAT-501 and VMFAT-502, MAG 11, 3rd MAW, are the two components that make up the USMC F-35B Lightning II Demo Team, that perform across the country to demonstrate the capabilities of the fifth generation fighter and interact with the public. Ybarra is a Rancho Cucamonga, California native. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)

Continue reading “Project Convergence Capstone 4”